5. Success of Geometric Morphometrics in Deducing Morphological Shape Change Patterns in Paleozoic Atrypids

Excerpt

This section concludes all the major findings accomplished during the course of this study. This study described the effects of evolution, ecology and environment on shell morphology of extinct Paleozoic brachiopods both in large scale and small scale temporal and spatial units. Geometric morphometric methods were used to quantify shell shape which further helped in assessment of (a) morphological shape differences in atrypid brachiopods at the subfamily, genus and species level, (b) correctness of a previously constructed phylogeny of atrypids, (c) evolutionary rates and modes in atrypid generic and species lineages, (d) correlation with environmental factors, (e) influence of episkeletobionts on morphological shape, and (f) derive ecology and life habit of these extinct brachiopods. …