Allometric Inference in Morphology

SYNOPSIS. Disparate rates of change in the surfaces and volumes of organisms with change in size combine with the interdependence of surface-limited and volume-limited functional attributes to define criteria for the size-dependency of shapes. Size contributes to the specification of types of structures required, limits to their functional range, and the scaling relationships among components of systems. Size-dependency may be stated in terms of a null hypothesis in morphology, with departures indicative of special adaptations which may be of particular interest. The study of size-dependency in shape and function is approaching a general theory of form with content comparable in scope to a general theory of diversity.