We present a dataset of vertebral counts, body shape measurements, and lateral radiographs for 4861 individuals representing 583 species of African cichlids. This comprehensive dataset captures the full range of axial phenotypic diversity across African cichlids.  

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RDS files for associated code were updated. Old RDS objects should be discarded from any analysis reruns.

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Please see the README.pdf file for full descriptions of each data file deposited here. Do not hesitate to contact me at callum.bucklow@biology.ox.ac.uk/c.v.bucklow@gmail.com for further information.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) studentship (Grant No. 2445747), the John Fell Fund at the University of Oxford (Grant No. 0009780), a European Research Council Starting Grant (No. 101163722, Counts), and grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF; Nos. 176039 and 208002). We thank Richard Durbin for the $\mu$CT-scans of the specimens in the CAMZM collection used in this study that were $\mu$CT-scanned at the Cambridge Biotomography Centre. Specimens were collected ethically under prescribed permits, and the results and data are published under an Access and Benefit Sharing agreement with the Government of Malawi. We acknowledge the contributions of Hannes Svardal, Karl Svardal, Richard Zatha, Bosco Rusuwa, George Turner and colleagues, and the Malawi Department of Fisheries and the Government of Malawi for their assistance in the collection of samples.