For citation:
Svinin A. O., Zamaletdinov R. I., Mikhailova R. I., Tamimdarov B. F. Geometric morphometry application to detecting water frog species (Ranidae, Amphibia). Current Studies in Herpetology, 2026, vol. 26, iss. 1, pp. 79-84. DOI: 10.18500/1814-6090-2026-26-1-2-79-84, EDN: WDFEET
Geometric morphometry application to detecting water frog species (Ranidae, Amphibia)
This study presents findings on the application of geometric morphometry for analyzing cranial features and the metatarsal tubercle shape in three species of water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex). Our analysis of the metatarsal tubercle shape using principal component analysis revealed a separation of taxa along the first principal component axis at 84.9%. No overlap in the shape of the metatarsal tubercle was observed among the parental species; however, the values for these traits in the hybrid P. esculentus transgressed those of the parental species. The selected cranial features exhibited similarities among the water frog species, with their separation not exceeding 50%. Further refinement of this methodology may facilitate the identification of critical osteological traits for species detection within this complex.
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