Detecting nematode features from digital images

Procedures for estimating and calibrating nematode features from digitial images are described and evaluated by illustration and mathematical formulae. Technical problems, such as capturing and cleaning raw images, standardizing the grey level range of images, and the detection of characteristics of the body habitus, presence or absence of stylet knobs, and tail and lip region shape are discussed. This study is the first of a series aimed at developing a set of automated methods to permit more rapid, objective characterizations of nematode features than is achievable by cumbersome conventional methods.