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Frames of a stack were fused with freely available image fusion software (CombineZM, CombineZP, Image Analyzer) to one sharp image. These images form a so-called image stack, with one single image referred to as “frame”. To overcome limitations of depth of field of an image, several images of the same image detail were recorded in different focus levels. In general different types of software were used to optimize the recorded images. Specimens of the following gammaridean species were the basis of the present investigation: Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835, Dikerogammarus villosus Sowinsky, 1894, Dikerogammarus haemobaphes (Eichwald, 1841), and Orchestia cavimana Heller, 1865. We aimed at offering an overview of available techniques applicable to facilitate and improve future studies on gammarideans.
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Tested techniques ranged from computer microtomography to different types of fluorescence microscopy to enhanced variants of white-light microscopy and macrophotography. Therefore, we tested a large variety of up-to-date documentary techniques, compared them against one another, and considered the advantages and disadvantages of each technique with a special focus on the cost-benefit equation. įor the investigations of morphological aspects of gammarideans, newly emerged techniques yield new opportunities. Conclusions about the ecology of these animals, for example, on the ecological interplay of native and neozoic animals, are tightly coupled to the understanding of the detailed morphology of the species in focus. This is despite such detailed morphological studies being the basis for investigations of ecological, phylogeographical, or evolutionary aspects of the species being studied. Despite this, many morphological details of the numerous described species remain significantly understudied, and many structures are still waiting to be discovered and understood (e.g., ). The crustacean taxon Gammaridea with almost 6,000 living species must be considered a well-investigated group, at least taxonomically.
Combinezm combinezp serial#
Examples of such cases are computer tomography substituting serial sectioning and fluorescence microscopy being used instead of alizarin staining. They have been superseded by new methods yielding comparable results which may be faster and/or do not require the destruction of rare specimens. Former complex preparation processes that were necessary to answer certain questions may become superfluous (at least in some cases). New techniques can also offer new insights. Furthermore, the combination of different methods and also the adoption of techniques from one field into another have yielded promising results. The new tools for enhancing more classical methods are mainly based on computer algorithms, such as image fusion or image stitching (e.g., ), in addition to 3D approaches such as structure from motion (e.g., ). Notable among these new high-tech methods are tools for three-dimensional documentation, such as different types of computed tomography (CT) (e.g., ) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (cLSM) (e.g., ).
Combinezm combinezp free#
Despite this, new ideas involving facile and inexpensive methods and free computer software capable of running on older computers have become available and can improve classical morphological approaches significantly. Studying the morphology appears to have become an increasingly “high-tech” field of science, demanding complex machines and fast computers with complicated software packages. In recent years, new documentation techniques for zoomorphological investigations have been developed. Informative images are also required for oral or poster presentations. Imaging and documenting specimens is an important part of the basic biological investigations, particularly of morphological and taxonomic work. In addition, we present software-based enhancing tools such as image fusion and image stitching. We discuss improvements of the illumination with polarized light and the possibilities of utilizing the autofluorescence of animals such as the gammarideans. Alternatively, there are many possibilities to enhance the capabilities of established techniques such as macrophotography and light microscopy. Although recent techniques, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy (cLSM), focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB SEM), or computed microtomography ( μCT), provide new possibilities to detect and document structures, these high-tech devices are expensive, and access to them is often limited. We give an overview of available techniques for imaging and documenting applied to gammarideans and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.