Vários estudos sobre ontogenia e assimetria foram e vêm sendo realizados com cetáceos odontocetos através da utilização da morfometria convencional. Frequentemente compara-se o tamanho de estruturas do sistema respiratório de ambos os lados do crânio para avaliar a assimetria de tamanho e analisa-se o aumento de tamanho do corpo com a idade para avaliar ontogenia. Porém, através da morfometria convencional nem sempre é possível descrever ou representar a variabilidade de forma dos organismos, sendo que informações sobre a forma craniana dos odontocetos são bastante escassas. A morfometria geométrica é uma técnica que vem sendo amplamente utilizada em estudos de comparação da forma dos organismos, a qual leva em consideração o caráter geométrico das formas biológicas e analisa estatisticamente sua variação. Além disso, possibilita a realização de descrições independentes de forma e tamanho, o que permite que os mesmos sejam analisados separadamente. Sendo assim, este estudo se propôs a investigar as alterações ontogenéticas na forma e tamanho do crânio do boto-cinza, Sotalia guianensis, buscando alterações cranianas entre indivíduos de diferentes classes etárias, além de verificar a existência e analisar a assimetria direcional na forma e tamanho craniano para esta espécie. Para isso, os crânios foram digitalizados através de um braço digitalizador e depois de um tratamento geométrico as configurações geradas foram analisadas estatisticamente, a partir dos seus componentes de forma e tamanho. Foi observada assimetria de tamanho e forma para muitas das estruturas cranianas estudadas, notando-se diferenças com relação à assimetria entre as subunidades de desenvolvimento do crânio. Com relação à ontogenia, verificou-se um padrão semelhante para a alteração da forma e do tamanho com a idade, evidenciando que, tanto a forma como o tamanho craniano, se estabilizam por volta dos oito anos de idade. / Several studies exploring the ontogeny and asymmetry involving the skull and skeleton of the species of the Suborder Odontoceti have been performed using traditional morphometric techniques. Ontogenetic studies are usually based on the relationship between body size and age, while those focusing on the existence and degree of asymmetry compare the size of skull elements related to the respiratory tract. However, traditional morphometrics can not describe or represent adequately the variability of shape between organisms and therefore information about shape of dolphin skulls are very scarce. Geometric Morphometrics is a toolbox of techniques that is been widely applied in studies comparing the shape of organisms taking into consideration the biological shapes and analyzing their variation statistically. In addition, this technique allows to independently describe both shape and size separately, as well as exploring their relationship. The main objective of this study is to investigate the changes in skull shape and size during the ontogeny for the estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, characterizing the shape of the skull among different age groups. The second goal is to verify and analyze directional asymmetry in skull size and shape for this species. Dolphin skulls were scanned using a Microscribe-3D digitizer, statistically analyzing size and shape of the configurations created after translating, rotating and rescaling the original variables. Asymmetry in size and shape was detected for some cranial structures. There were also differences in asymmetry degree between the development subunits of the skull. For the ontogenetic trajectory it was detected a similar pattern of changes in shape and in size with age, in which both are stabilizing around eight years old for this species.

Vários estudos sobre ontogenia e assimetria foram e vêm sendo realizados com cetáceos odontocetos através da utilização da morfometria convencional. Frequentemente compara-se o tamanho de estruturas do sistema respiratório de ambos os lados do crânio para avaliar a assimetria de tamanho e analisa-se o aumento de tamanho do corpo com a idade para avaliar ontogenia. Porém, através da morfometria convencional nem sempre é possível descrever ou representar a variabilidade de forma dos organismos, sendo que informações sobre a forma craniana dos odontocetos são bastante escassas. A morfometria geométrica é uma técnica que vem sendo amplamente utilizada em estudos de comparação da forma dos organismos, a qual leva em consideração o caráter geométrico das formas biológicas e analisa estatisticamente sua variação. Além disso, possibilita a realização de descrições independentes de forma e tamanho, o que permite que os mesmos sejam analisados separadamente. Sendo assim, este estudo se propôs a investigar as alterações ontogenéticas na forma e tamanho do crânio do boto-cinza, Sotalia guianensis, buscando alterações cranianas entre indivíduos de diferentes classes etárias, além de verificar a existência e analisar a assimetria direcional na forma e tamanho craniano para esta espécie. Para isso, os crânios foram digitalizados através de um braço digitalizador e depois de um tratamento geométrico as configurações geradas foram analisadas estatisticamente, a partir dos seus componentes de forma e tamanho. Foi observada assimetria de tamanho e forma para muitas das estruturas cranianas estudadas, notando-se diferenças com relação à assimetria entre as subunidades de desenvolvimento do crânio. Com relação à ontogenia, verificou-se um padrão semelhante para a alteração da forma e do tamanho com a idade, evidenciando que, tanto a forma como o tamanho craniano, se estabilizam por volta dos oito anos de idade. / Several studies exploring the ontogeny and asymmetry involving the skull and skeleton of the species of the Suborder Odontoceti have been performed using traditional morphometric techniques. Ontogenetic studies are usually based on the relationship between body size and age, while those focusing on the existence and degree of asymmetry compare the size of skull elements related to the respiratory tract. However, traditional morphometrics can not describe or represent adequately the variability of shape between organisms and therefore information about shape of dolphin skulls are very scarce. Geometric Morphometrics is a toolbox of techniques that is been widely applied in studies comparing the shape of organisms taking into consideration the biological shapes and analyzing their variation statistically. In addition, this technique allows to independently describe both shape and size separately, as well as exploring their relationship. The main objective of this study is to investigate the changes in skull shape and size during the ontogeny for the estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, characterizing the shape of the skull among different age groups. The second goal is to verify and analyze directional asymmetry in skull size and shape for this species. Dolphin skulls were scanned using a Microscribe-3D digitizer, statistically analyzing size and shape of the configurations created after translating, rotating and rescaling the original variables. Asymmetry in size and shape was detected for some cranial structures. There were also differences in asymmetry degree between the development subunits of the skull. For the ontogenetic trajectory it was detected a similar pattern of changes in shape and in size with age, in which both are stabilizing around eight years old for this species.

Volume 1 = Thesis, Volume 2 = Appendices / Asymmetry is a useful tool for osteological analysis as it detects disruptions in the developmental stability of osseous structures attributed to environmental and biomechanical environments. The primary aim of this study is to establish a baseline for normal levels of asymmetry in English archaeological populations in order to distinguish between normal population variation and increased developmental instability or biomechanical stress. Directional and fluctuating asymmetry is assessed through a database of a comprehensive selection of osteological measurements throughout the skeletons of 1753 adults and subadults. The sample is from 11 archaeological sites spanning the Anglo-Saxon to the Victorian periods. The extent of developmental instability is also determined, for the first time, by employing the prevalence of population outliers. The normal range for directional asymmetry was found to be -5.79 to 6.62%, while fluctuating asymmetry was found to be 0 to 6.53%. The extent of asymmetry, however, was found to be trait specific. Deviations from normal population levels of asymmetry were found to be due to a complex mixture of biomechanical and environmental stresses influenced by age, sex, settlement type, socio-economic status, and period-specific origins of the sample populations. Possible causes of asymmetry could be discerned from comparisons of the levels of population asymmetry when placed in the context of physical activity, social networking, health, and environment developed from the historical, archaeological and osteological record. / Andy Jagger Fund and the Francis Raymond Hudson Memorial Fund

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This diploma thesis deals primarily with the existence of the asymmetry of the bony pelvis and the sexual dimorphism of the asymmetry of the pelvic canal, which is caused by different reproductive functions of each of the sexes. Furthermore, the correlation or linear dependence of the external pelvic and pelvic canal dimensions was investigated. The study uses 3D pelvic models created in Avizo 7.1 from CT images of the recent French population. The material consists of 74 probands, of which 36 are males and 38 are females. The models were digitalized using Viewbox 4 software, in which 29 landmarks were applied to each pelvic model. These correspond to 24 dimensions divided into three groups: the size of the non-canal pelvis, the dimensions of the pelvic canal and the dimensions for calculating the correlation between the non-canal pelvis and the pelvic canal. The degree of asymmetry was evaluated using the formulas for the calculation of directorial (DA) and absolute (AA) asymmetry. Student's paired t-test was used for statistical analysis of asymmetry to determine asymmetry in previous studies. Gender differences were determined by the Mann-Whitney U test. At the same time, an analysis using the mixed model ANOVA was also performed, which in addition incorporates an intraobservation measurement...