Black Caiman

[Dark Jaguar]

SKULL SIZES MORPHOLOGY AND BITE FORCE ESTIMATION.

From the Study ( Intraspecific variation in the skull morphology of the Black Caiman Melanosuchus niger (Alligatoridae, Caimaninae) )
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/d...eS1-S2.pdf

Table S1. List of specimens of Melanosuchus niger used in the geometric morphometric analysis with information on sex, skull length SL, bite force, and data sets in which in was included (dorsal, ventral and lateral views). The bite force BF estimation based on the equation of Ericksonet al.(2003): LogBF = 2.75 x LogSL –0.65; j = juvenile, j*= juvenile specimens, which were x-rayed; f = female, m = male, m* = identification of males by one of the authors (CF) based on the large size compared to the largest female. SMF Senckenberg Natur museum Frankfurt (Germany); ZFMK Zoologisches Forschungs museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn (Germany);NHMW Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Austria); ZMH Zoologisches Museum Hamburg (Germany); ZSM Zoologische Staatssammlung München (Germany).

NOTE: Follow the Skull table by the photos order.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Anatomical description of the landmarks (the landmarks are visualized in Fig.1 of the main text; LM = landmark; semi-LM = semi-landmark)

DORSAL VIEW

1 most anterior contact between both premaxillae

2 midpoint of the posterior margin of the skull table

3 contact between the supraoccipital and parietal along the posterior margin of the skull table

4 most posterolateral point of the squamosal (contact with the exoccipital)

5 most posterolateralpoint of the quadrate

6 contact of jugal process of the postorbital with skull table

7 most posterolateral point of the orbit8most anterior point of the orbit

9 contact between the premaxilla and maxilla along the lateral margin of the skull

10 one semi-LM on the anterolateral margin of the skull between LM 1 and LM 9

11-12 two semi-LMs on the medial margin of the orbit between LM 8 and LM 6, from anterior to posterior

13-15 three semi-LMs on the lateral margin of the skull between LM 9 and LM 5, from anterior to posterior


LATERAL VIEW

1 most anteroventral point of the premaxillae

2 contact between the maxilla and jugal along the ventral margin of the skull

3 most posterior point of the quadratojugal at the jaw joint

4 most posterior point of the skull roof surface

5 postorbital foramen

6 most ventral contact between the jugal and postorbital

7 most anterior point of the orbit

8 contact of the premaxilla and maxilla along the margin of the tooth row

9 one semi-LM on the ventral margin of the premaxilla between LM 1 and LM 8

10-12 three semi-LMs on the ventral margin od the maxilla between LM 8 and LM 2, from anterior to posterior

13-14 two semi-LMs on the ventral margin of the jugal between LM 2 and LM 3, from anterior to posterior

15-21 seven semi-LMs on the dorsal margin of the skull between LM 1 and LM 4, from anterior to posterior



Error testafter Singleton (2002)

For the error test, estimating the methodological error of plotting landmarks on the skulls, Procrustes distances of the Procrustes coordinates to the respective consensus coordinates of each landmark were calculated. Then, the relation of these distances to the mean distance of the consensus landmarks to the centroid of the consensus shape was calculated as a percentage of the former from the latter.Based on the test all landmarks possess only a small percentage errorfor plotting landmarks(≈0. 08-1.27%).


Table S2.Percentageerror for each landmark for both photographed (ZSM 2416/2006) and the X-rayed specimens (ZSM 3/1971)(in dorsal and lateral view) with n = 10.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

References
Erickson, G. M., Lappin,A. K. andVliet,K. A. 2003. The ontogeny of bite-force performance in American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Journal of Zoology260: 317-327.Singleton, M. 2002. Patterns of cranial shape variation in the Papionini(Primates: Cercopithecinae). Journal of Human Evolution 42:547-578. Reply