Abstract:

Advances in X-ray computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction technologies have revolutionized zoological, paleontological, and evolutionary research by enabling non-destructive visualization and quantitative analysis of anatomical structures. Open-access repositories such as MorphoSource have highlighted the growing importance of digital morphology resources. However, access to high-quality, taxonomically comprehensive, and systematically curated 3D datasets remains uneven, particularly for fossil vertebrates and regionally significant biodiversity collections. Here we introduce the Archives of Digital Morphology (ADMorph), an open-access digital repository hosted by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IVPP). ADMorph currently archives more than 60000 3D models derived from over 10000 fossil specimens and 4200 extant vertebrate specimens, including approximately 3000 anatomically segmented datasets. ADMorph integrates a large and continuously expanding collection of CT-derived, segmented 3D datasets covering both fossil and extant vertebrates, and provides a centralized platform for their storage, visualization, dissemination, and long-term preservation. The repository archives both raw volumetric CT datasets and derived surface models in standardized formats, supported by structured metadata, searchable records, and interactive visualization tools. ADMorph hosts several specialized anatomically segmented collections, including early vertebrate fossil reconstructions, the digital shark atlas, vertebrate embryological series, and the Yangtze heritage collection of endangered freshwater taxa. The platform also supports community-driven data contributions and curated datasets spanning comparative anatomy, developmental biology, functional morphology, and evolutionary research. By facilitating access to high-quality 3D digital specimens, ADMorph supports a wide range of applications, including virtual paleontology, geometric morphometrics, biomechanical modeling, science education, and public outreach. Collectively, ADMorph improves the global accessibility of vertebrate morphological data, enhances research reproducibility and data sharing, and provides scalable infrastructure for large-scale comparative studies of extant and extinct biodiversity, thereby advancing research on vertebrate evolution across deep time.

Key words: ADMorph, X-ray computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, vertebrate morphology, open-access repository, anatomically segmented dataset, comparative anatomy, FAIR data, virtual paleontology

摘要：

计算机断层扫描(CT)与三维重建技术的发展实现了对解剖结构的无损定量分析，推动了脊椎动物形态学研究。介绍由中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所搭建的三维形态数据库ADMorph (Archives of Digital Morphology)。该平台涵盖了大量化石与现生标本的CT数据及三维分割模型，支持数据上传、标准化存储、网页交互式可视化与开放下载，并构建了包括IUCN红色名录濒危物种、脊椎动物胚胎、灵长类骨骼及长江流域淡水物种等特色专题数据集。ADMorph提升了数字形态数据的开放性与可获取性，为深时尺度的脊椎动物演化研究提供了数据支持。

关键词: ADMorph, 计算机断层扫描(CT), 三维重建, 脊椎动物形态学, 开放获取数据库, 三维分割数据集, 比较解剖学, FAIR数据原则, 虚拟古生物学