Estimation of Surface Area and Volume of a Nematode from Morphometric Data

Abstract

Nematode volume and surface area are usually based on the inappropriate assumption that the animal is cylindrical. While nematodes are approximately circular in cross section, the radius varies longitudinally. We use standard morphometric data to obtain improved estimates of volume and surface area based on (i) a geometrical approach and (ii) a Bézier representation of the nematode. These new estimators require only the morphometric data available from Cobb's ratios, but if fewer coordinates are available the geometric approach reduces to the standard estimates. Consequently, these new estimators are better than the standard alternatives.