<scp>Morpho</scp>J: an integrated software package for geometric morphometrics

TLDR

Morpho J addresses the growing need to analyze shape data alongside genetic or ecological information by employing landmark-based Procrustes superimposition. The software aims to integrate landmark‐based shape analysis with a broad suite of methods for diverse biological applications. It provides a user‑friendly Java environment that performs standard multivariate analyses (PCA, discriminant analysis, regression) and specialized tasks such as phylogenetics, quantitative genetics, and modularity analysis, and is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Abstract

Abstract Increasingly, data on shape are analysed in combination with molecular genetic or ecological information, so that tools for geometric morphometric analysis are required. Morphometric studies most often use the arrangements of morphological landmarks as the data source and extract shape information from them by Procrustes superimposition. The Morpho J software combines this approach with a wide range of methods for shape analysis in different biological contexts. The program offers an integrated and user‐friendly environment for standard multivariate analyses such as principal components, discriminant analysis and multivariate regression as well as specialized applications including phylogenetics, quantitative genetics and analyses of modularity in shape data. Morpho J is written in Java and versions for the Windows, Macintosh and Unix/Linux platforms are freely available from http://www.flywings.org.uk/MorphoJ_page.htm .