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Cover Picture and Issue Information
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
methods in ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.425
H-Index - 105
ISSN - 2041-210X
DOI - 10.1111/2041-210x.13415
Subject(s) - cover (algebra) , computer science , citation , tree (set theory) , rainforest , software , ecology , data science , world wide web , information retrieval , biology , mathematics , mechanical engineering , mathematical analysis , engineering , programming language
This issue's cover image shows an Asian green pitviper ( Trimeresurus sabahi ) hanging from a tree branch in the Malaysian rainforest. The picture succeeds in capturing the topographical complexity of the scaly surface of snake skin. In their article, Martinez et al. examine the diversity and ecological correlates of skin surface topography in snakes to showcase the applicability of their newly developed software, called QuSTo. The application allows users to quantify surface topography from profiles obtained from 2D and 3D scans. QuSTo is free, open‐source, user‐friendly and easily adaptable for specific analysis requirements. Moreover, it is compatible with 3D data obtained with different scanning techniques and can be used to examine the surface properties of virtually any animal and plant species for both fundamental and applied biological and bioinspired research. Photo credit: ©Roberto García‐Roa.