---
language:
- en
tags:
- vertebrae
- squamate
- reptile
- reptilia
- lizard
- snake
- vertebra
- spine
- bone
- mesh
- landmark
size_categories:
- 1K<n<10K
license: openrail
---
## Dataset Description
2896 presacral vertebrae meshes from 95 specimens representing all families of lizards and a few snakes.

* atlas_in/: meshes and landmarks used as an input to SlicerMorphoWeave for SSM construction and alignment
* atlas_out/: aligned & scaled meshes and landmarks, SSM, dense correspondences, and mesh segments (n=7) produced by SlicerMorphoWeave
* vertebrae_meshes.zip: final mesh dataset used to train models run_v72, run_v73c, run_v73h (meshes are aligned and scaled so only shape differences are learned)
* partial_meshes.zip: partial mesh dataset used to do shape completion evaluation. created by subtracting segments from intact meshes. summarized in partial_meshing_summary.json with detailed steps on [Vert-NSM GitHub Wiki](https://github.com/3D-fossils-Haag/vert-nsm/wiki/Evaluation:-shape-completion-using-synthetically-fragmented-meshes). 

## Data Use
Can be used to do train NSM models for geometric morphometrics, shape completion, and classification of squamate vertebrae.

## Citation

If you use this model, its weights, data, or the underlying research in your work, please cite it using the following:
Wolcott et al. 2026. “Vert-NSM” GitHub repository. https://github.com/3D-fossils-Haag/vert-nsm (accessed YYYY-MM-DD).    

Blackburn et al. 2024. Increasing the impact of vertebrate scientific collections through 3D imaging: The openVertebrate (oVert) Thematic Collections Network. BioScience 74: 169–186.

Micro-CT datasets corresponding to 3D models are available on MorphoSource: https://www.morphosource.org/projects/000368762