MicroCT Scans of 489 Primate Skulls and Postcranial Elements

489 high-resolution microCT scans from 431 specimens represent 53 primate species, forming the largest high-fidelity comparative dataset of its kind. The data were collected at Harvard's Center for Nanoscale Systems to study primate skull morphology and are archived on MorphoSource.org. Physical specimens are vouchered at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Use Cases

• Analyze primate skull morphology by comparing 3D scan data across 53 species.
• Conduct evolutionary research using high-resolution scans of crania and mandibles from 431 specimens.
• Build 3D shape models for postcranial elements to study functional anatomy.
• Use the collection of 489 scans as a comparative baseline for new fossil or extant primate specimens.

Strengths

• Contains 489 high-resolution microCT scans, a large sample for comparative morphology.
• Represents 53 primate species, covering most Primate families.
• Scans are of high fidelity, collected at a specialized facility (Harvard's Center for Nanoscale Systems).
• Physical specimens are vouchered at a major institution (Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Limitations

• Sample size of 431 specimens may be limited for rare species or deep phylogenetic analyses.
• Data is focused on Holocene specimens, limiting studies of deep-time evolutionary change.
• The dataset consists solely of scans; no associated tabular metadata (e.g., measurements, locations) is described.

Provenance

Source

Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology specimens, scanned at Harvard's Center for Nanoscale Systems.

Collection Method

High-resolution microCT scanning of physical specimens.

Time Range

Holocene (as indicated by tags).

Freshness

Last updated 2020-06-24.

Geography

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