2D Geometric Morphometric Dataset of Cervid Lower Third Molar from Central and South America, Including Archaeological Specimens from the Pearl Island Archipelago (Panama)

This study investigates the past and present diversity of cervid populations in the Pearl Island Archipelago, Panama, through a two-dimensional geometric morphometric (2D-GMM) analysis of the lower third molar. The dataset includes both archaeological remains from the Playa Don Bernardo (PdB) site on Pedro González Island, dating back 6,200 years, and extant species of Neotropical deer that today inhabit Panama, such as Odocoileus virginianus, Mazama temama, and Mazama nemorivaga. These cervid populations are compared to determine the phylogenetic position of the dwarf brocket deer from PdB, which likely arrived on the island before human settlement at the end of the Pleistocene. The study incorporates TPS files containing digitized molar specimens from museum collections across the world, as well as a metafile detailing the provenance and characteristics of each specimen. A total of 104 teeth from extant species and 23 archaeological specimens from PdB and San José Island were analyzed. The research aims to clarify the taxonomic status of the PdB cervids and explore how island environments influenced cervid evolution and adaptation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of species diversity, biogeography, and evolutionary history in the Neotropics, with implications for conservation efforts, particularly for isolated island populations like those of San José Island in the Pearl Island Archipelago.本研究通过对下第三臼齿的二维几何形态测量（2D-GMM, two-dimensional geometric morphometric）分析，探究巴拿马珍珠岛群岛鹿科种群的史前与现生多样性。本数据集涵盖佩德罗冈萨雷斯岛普拉亚多贝纳多（Playa Don Bernardo，简称PdB）遗址出土的距今6200年的考古遗存，以及现今栖息于巴拿马的新热带区鹿类现生物种，包括白尾鹿（*Odocoileus virginianus*）、中美短角鹿（*Mazama temama*）与南美短角鹿（*Mazama nemorivaga*）。研究将上述鹿科种群进行对比，以明确PdB遗址出土矮小型短角鹿的系统发育地位——该类群大概率在更新世末期人类定居该区域前便已抵达群岛。本研究整合了来自全球博物馆馆藏的数字化臼齿标本的TPS文件，以及一份详述每件标本来源与特征的元数据文件（metafile）。本次分析共纳入现生物种的104枚牙齿，以及来自PdB遗址与圣何塞岛的23件考古标本。本研究旨在阐明PdB遗址出土鹿科动物的分类学地位，并探讨岛屿环境如何影响鹿类的演化与适应。本研究结果有助于深化对新热带区物种多样性、生物地理学及演化历史的认知，同时可为保护工作提供参考依据，尤其适用于珍珠岛群岛圣何塞岛这类孤立岛屿种群的保护实践。