Limb Bone Measurements for 188 Amphibians and Lizards

This dataset contains length measurements of major limb bones from 188 extant limbed amphibians and lizards, used as a morphological proxy for locomotor behavior. It was created by Andrés Ignacio Lires for a 2020 study reconstructing the locomotion of the oldest known frog-like vertebrate, Triadobatrachus massinoti. The analysis aimed to test the hypothesis linking early anuran skeletal features to jumping adaptations.

Use Cases

• Perform multivariate analysis on limb bone length measurements to correlate morphology with locomotion type.
• Apply comparative phylogenetic methods to limb data to discriminate phylogenetic signal from adaptation.
• Reconstruct the locomotor capabilities of Triadobatrachus massinoti by comparing its inferred limb proportions to the 188 extant specimens.
• Test hypotheses of exaptation in anuran evolution by modeling the relationship between bone measurements and jumping behavior.

Strengths

• Includes morphological data from 188 individual specimens, providing a solid comparative basis.
• Explicitly designed for evolutionary analysis within a phylogenetic framework.
• Data supports a peer-reviewed study published in 2020, ensuring academic relevance.

Limitations

• The specific bone measurements and column structure are not detailed in the provided input.
• Sample is limited to 188 specimens, which may not capture the full morphological diversity of all limbed amphibians and lizards.
• Data is focused on a specific research question regarding early anuran locomotion, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Dryad digital repository.

Collection Method

Length measurements of major limb bones collected from 188 extant limbed amphibians (frogs and salamanders) and lizards.

Time Range

Contemporary specimens for extant species; fossil data for Triadobatrachus massinoti.

Freshness

Last updated in June 2020.