EVANS, G.*; EVANS, A.R.; PLJUSNIN, I.; FORTELIUS, M.; JERNVALL, J.; Inst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland; Inst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, FinlandInst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland; Inst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland; Dept. of Geology and Inst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland; Inst. of Biotechnology, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland: MorphoBrowser � a new database for surfing the dental morphospace

Morphologists have long faced challenges in extracting and disseminating information about morphology. We present a new interface for examining and analyzing morphology. The �MorphoBrowser� is a new database for storing and viewing 3-D morphology. It allows the user to interactively �browse� through a diverse range of fossil and recent morphological forms. The system is accessible through the Internet on a Java database interface that runs on all major operating systems (Windows, Mac and Linux). The MorphoBrowser stores full taxonomic information and ecological characteristics on each species represented, as well as detailed data on individual specimens. The interface consists of a 3-D viewing window that displays shapes from 3-D data collection devices such as laser scanners, confocal microscopes and needle scanners. The user can rotate the object in any direction and zoom in to view additional detail. The applications to which this new research tool has been put are diverse: the user can track changes in morphology in a single individual as tooth wear progresses, examine variation within species, and compare similar and disparate tooth forms from a wide taxonomic range. In addition, it provides the ability to address aspects of morphology that were previously impossible � make wide-ranging 3-D comparisons between shapes, explore techniques of shape categorization and utilize new 3-D shape recognition methods. The MorphoBrowser provides the infrastructure for collecting and analyzing the immense amount of 3D morphological data now being assembled.