October 4, 2013 10:57 WSPC/INSTRUCTION FILE ws-ijig 1 International Journal of Image and Graphics c World Scientific Publishing Company Hybrid Color Segmentation Method using a customized Non-Linear Similarity Function Carvalho, L.E. Graduate Program in Computer Science, Federal University of Santa Catarina; Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence, Federal University of Santa Catarina lcarvalho@incod.ufsc.br Mantelli Neto, S. L Brazilian Institute for Space Research; Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence, Federal University of Santa Catarina sylvio@incod.ufsc.br von Wangenheim, A. Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence, Federal University of Santa Catarina awangenh@inf.ufsc.br Sobieranski, A.C. 4Vision Lab - University of Itajai Valley; Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence, Federal University of Santa Catarina asobieranski@incod.ufsc.br Coser, L. 4Vision Lab - University of Itajai Valley; Post-Graduate Program in Knowledge Engineering and Management, Federal University of Santa Catarina; Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence, Federal University of Santa Catarina coser@incod.ufsc.br Comunello, E. 4Vision Lab - University of Itajai Valley; Image Processing and Computer Graphics Lab, National Research Institute on Digital Convergence,