Data and code from: Complete metamorphosis promotes morphological and functional diversity in Caudata

Metamorphosis, a common and spectacular developmental process, involves major phenotypic changes often linked to environmental transitions. Understanding how these changes affect morphological evolution is crucial for examining metamorphosis's evolutionary impacts. In this study, we analysed the role of metamorphosis and life cycle variation on the morphological evolution of the mandible in Caudata (salamanders and newts), a clade that exhibits a great diversity of life cycles and ecologies. We focused on the mandible, a key component of the masticatory apparatus, to investigate how life cycle variation may influence the diversification of feeding mode. Using 3D geometric morphometrics on 317 extant species of Caudata, we found that both life cycle and size influence mandible shape, with complex interactions between these factors. The morphology of the mandibular bones evolved more independently in species undergoing complete metamorphosis compared to those with partial metamorphosis, l..., , , # Data and code from: Complete metamorphosis promotes morphological and functional diversity in Caudata

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2280gb642](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2280gb642)

## Description of the data and file structure

This repository contains all the data and code used in the manuscript entitled 'Complete metamorphosis promotes morphological and functional diversity in Caudata.' All code is written in the R language (R Core Development Team, 2022). If you use these data, please cite Louppe et al., 2025.

## **Data files**

The data files are named **phylogeny_data, data_all, data_dent,** and **data_artang**.

* **phylogeny_data** contains the time-calibrated phylogeny used in the study.
* The three **data** files correspond to lists of matrices containing, for each species included in the phylogeny:
* **Y**: The dataset landmarks, including all landmarks for **data_all**, those corresponding to the dentary for **data_dent**, and those corresponding to the prearticula...,