A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains

Raptors suffer high mortality rates due to anthropogenic threats, such as electrocution from power lines or lead poisoning, so the specific identification of skeletal remains is essential for establishing monitoring and protection programmes. This study developed and validated a standardized osteome...

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Authors: Miguel Batuecas, Andrea, De Pablo Moreno, Juan Andrés, Fuertes Recuero, Manuel, Fuentes Díaz, Ariana, González González, Fernando, Suárez Regalado, Laura, García-Matarranz, Victoriano, Revuelta Rueda, Luis
Format: article
Publication Date:2026
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repository:Docta Complutense
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/133742
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/133742
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:636.09
Measurements
Raptors
Identification
Canonical analysis
Conservation
Veterinaria
3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
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spelling A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remainsMiguel Batuecas, AndreaDe Pablo Moreno, Juan AndrésFuertes Recuero, ManuelFuentes Díaz, ArianaGonzález González, FernandoSuárez Regalado, LauraGarcía-Matarranz, VictorianoRevuelta Rueda, Luis636.09MeasurementsRaptorsIdentificationCanonical analysisConservationVeterinaria3109 Ciencias VeterinariasRaptors suffer high mortality rates due to anthropogenic threats, such as electrocution from power lines or lead poisoning, so the specific identification of skeletal remains is essential for establishing monitoring and protection programmes. This study developed and validated a standardized osteometric method for measuring long bones and craniopelvic bones from skeletal remains to identify raptor species. A database of 26 species of Iberian raptors (n = 853) was developed based on 11 measurements of 9 bones, including the ulna, sternum, femur, humerus, tarsometatarsus, tibiotarsus, and radius, as well as the synsacrum length and postacetabular ilium width and length and width of the skull. Missing values were estimated using multiple linear regression, and canonical discriminant analysis was applied to correct and modify the databases. Cross-validation was added to this analysis. Additionally, the obtained model was verified using external radiographs. The highest percentage of success was obtained with the tarsometatarsus-ulna combination (94.53%), followed by tarsometatarsus-radius (94.05%) and tarsometatarsus-humerus (93.02%), when two bone lengths were combined. When a third measurement was incorporated, the tarsometatarsus-ulna-femur combination achieved a 99.45% correct classification rate. In blind verification testing, the radiographs of 15 individuals, the tarsometatarsus-ulna model correctly classified all samples, achieving a 100% success rate. These results show that the study method provides a simple and replicable protocol for identifying raptor species from incomplete skeletal remains. This optimizes the monitoring of mortality and supporting conservation measures.ElsevierUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20262026-01-0120262026-01-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/133742reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Attribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/1337422026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
title A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
spellingShingle A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
Miguel Batuecas, Andrea
636.09
Measurements
Raptors
Identification
Canonical analysis
Conservation
Veterinaria
3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
title_short A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
title_full A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
title_fullStr A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
title_full_unstemmed A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
title_sort A standardized osteometric method for identifying Iberian raptors from skeletal remains
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Miguel Batuecas, Andrea
De Pablo Moreno, Juan Andrés
Fuertes Recuero, Manuel
Fuentes Díaz, Ariana
González González, Fernando
Suárez Regalado, Laura
García-Matarranz, Victoriano
Revuelta Rueda, Luis
author Miguel Batuecas, Andrea
author_facet Miguel Batuecas, Andrea
De Pablo Moreno, Juan Andrés
Fuertes Recuero, Manuel
Fuentes Díaz, Ariana
González González, Fernando
Suárez Regalado, Laura
García-Matarranz, Victoriano
Revuelta Rueda, Luis
author_role author
author2 De Pablo Moreno, Juan Andrés
Fuertes Recuero, Manuel
Fuentes Díaz, Ariana
González González, Fernando
Suárez Regalado, Laura
García-Matarranz, Victoriano
Revuelta Rueda, Luis
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv 636.09
Measurements
Raptors
Identification
Canonical analysis
Conservation
Veterinaria
3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
topic 636.09
Measurements
Raptors
Identification
Canonical analysis
Conservation
Veterinaria
3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
description Raptors suffer high mortality rates due to anthropogenic threats, such as electrocution from power lines or lead poisoning, so the specific identification of skeletal remains is essential for establishing monitoring and protection programmes. This study developed and validated a standardized osteometric method for measuring long bones and craniopelvic bones from skeletal remains to identify raptor species. A database of 26 species of Iberian raptors (n = 853) was developed based on 11 measurements of 9 bones, including the ulna, sternum, femur, humerus, tarsometatarsus, tibiotarsus, and radius, as well as the synsacrum length and postacetabular ilium width and length and width of the skull. Missing values were estimated using multiple linear regression, and canonical discriminant analysis was applied to correct and modify the databases. Cross-validation was added to this analysis. Additionally, the obtained model was verified using external radiographs. The highest percentage of success was obtained with the tarsometatarsus-ulna combination (94.53%), followed by tarsometatarsus-radius (94.05%) and tarsometatarsus-humerus (93.02%), when two bone lengths were combined. When a third measurement was incorporated, the tarsometatarsus-ulna-femur combination achieved a 99.45% correct classification rate. In blind verification testing, the radiographs of 15 individuals, the tarsometatarsus-ulna model correctly classified all samples, achieving a 100% success rate. These results show that the study method provides a simple and replicable protocol for identifying raptor species from incomplete skeletal remains. This optimizes the monitoring of mortality and supporting conservation measures.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026-01-01
2026
2026-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/133742
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/133742
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,812429

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