1
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Kemp AD. Effect of binocular visual cue availability on fruit and insect grasping performance in two cheirogaleids: Implications for primate origins hypotheses. J Hum Evol 2024; 188:103456. [PMID: 38325119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Forward-facing eyes with parallel optic axes, which provide a wide field of binocular vision and precise depth perception, are among the diagnostic features of crown primates; however, the adaptive significance of this feature remains contentious. Two of the most prominent primate-origins hypotheses propose that either foraging for fruit or nocturnal predation on insects created selective pressures that led to the evolution of diagnostic primate traits, including a wide binocular field. To determine whether either of these hypotheses provides a viable explanation for the evolution of primates' derived eye orientation, the importance of binocular depth cues for the two tasks invoked by these hypotheses was evaluated experimentally in Microcebus murinus and Cheirogaleus medius, cheirogaleids' considered reasonable living analogs of the earliest euprimates. Performance in grasping insects and fruit was evaluated when the animals made use of their full binocular visual field and when their binocular visual field was restricted using a helmet-mounted blinder. Restriction of the binocular field had no effect on fruit grasping performance; however, restriction of the binocular field resulted in a significant deficit in insect predation performance. Differences in behavioral variables also suggest that insect predation is a more visually demanding task than fruit foraging. These results support the role of insect predation, but not fruit foraging, in contributing to the selective pressures that led to the evolution of parallel optic axes and a wide binocular field in crown primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Addison D Kemp
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 403 Bishop Memorial Teaching Building, 133 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA, 90033-9112, USA.
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2
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Berghäuser T, Nyakatura JA, Wölfer J. Evolution of gliding in squirrel-related rodents (Mammalia: Sciuromorpha) did not induce a new optimum on the cortical thickness of the scapular glenoid fossa. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2716-2728. [PMID: 36583480 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Many of the squirrel-related rodents (i.e., Sciuromorpha) are tree-dwelling species known to be very agile climbers. This taxon also includes the most diverse clade of gliding (aerial) mammals that likely descended from a non-gliding arboreal ancestor and evolved a patagium (i.e., a gliding membrane) to increase gliding performance. Glides can cover distances of up to 150 m and landing is typically accomplished by stalling the patagium to reduce impact velocity. It remains unclear if this behavior suffices to keep stresses on the locomotor apparatus similar to those experienced by their arboreal relatives or whether gliding behavior increases landing forces and stresses. The sparsely available support reaction force data are ambiguous, but bone microstructure is highly adaptable to changes in loading regime and likely provides insights into this question. Using μCT scans, we compared the cortical thickness of the glenoid fossa of the shoulder joint between arboreal and aerial Sciuromorpha using evolutionary model comparison, while also accounting for regional differences of the glenoid fossa. We did not find any differences between these locomotor behaviors, irrespective of the glenoid region. These findings agree with previous analyses of the microstructure of the femur in Sciuromorpha. We discuss different aspects that could explain the similarity in cortical thickness. According to our analysis of glenoid cortical thickness the loading regime appears not to have changed after the evolution of gliding locomotion, likely due to adjustments in landing performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Berghäuser
- AG Vergleichende Zoologie, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Vergleichende Zoologie, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Wölfer
- AG Vergleichende Zoologie, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Plocek MR, Dunham NT. Spatiotemporal walking gait kinematics of semi-arboreal red pandas (Ailurus fulgens). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:755-766. [PMID: 37395486 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Semi-arboreal mammals must routinely cope with the differing biomechanical challenges of terrestrial versus arboreal locomotion; however, it is not clear to what extent semi-arboreal mammals adjust footfall patterns when moving on different substrates. We opportunistically filmed quadrupedal locomotion (n = 132 walking strides) of semi-arboreal red pandas (Ailurus fulgens; n = 3) housed at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and examined the effects of substrate type on spatiotemporal gait kinematic variables using linear mixed models. We further investigated the effects of substrate diameter and orientation on arboreal gait kinematics. Red pandas exclusively used lateral sequence (LS) gaits and most frequently utilized LS lateral couplet gaits across terrestrial and arboreal substrates. Red pandas moved significantly slower (p < 0.001), and controlling for speed, had significantly greater relative stride length (p < 0.001), mean stride duration (p = 0.002), mean duty factor (p < 0.001), and mean number of supporting limbs (p < 0.001) during arboreal locomotion. Arboreal strides on inclined substrates were characterized by significantly faster relative speeds and increased limb phase values compared with those horizontal and declined substrates. These kinematics adjustments help to reduce substrate oscillations thereby promoting stability on potentially precarious arboreal substrates. Red panda limb phase values are similar to those of (primarily terrestrial) Carnivora examined to date. Despite the similarity in footfall patterns during arboreal and terrestrial locomotion, flexibility in other kinematic variables is important for semi-arboreal red pandas that must navigate disparate biomechanical challenges inherent to arboreal versus terrestrial locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura R Plocek
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Noah T Dunham
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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4
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Boulinguez-Ambroise G, Dunham N, Phelps T, Mazonas T, Nguyen P, Bradley-Cronkwright M, Boyer DM, Yapuncich GS, Zeininger A, Schmitt D, Young JW. Jumping performance in tree squirrels: Insights into primate evolution. J Hum Evol 2023; 180:103386. [PMID: 37209637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Morphological traits suggesting powerful jumping abilities are characteristic of early crown primate fossils. Because tree squirrels lack certain 'primatelike' grasping features but frequently travel on the narrow terminal branches of trees, they make a viable extant model for an early stage of primate evolution. Here, we explore biomechanical determinants of jumping performance in the arboreal Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis, n = 3) as a greater understanding of the biomechanical strategies that squirrels use to modulate jumping performance could inform theories of selection for increased jumping ability during early primate evolution. We assessed vertical jumping performance by using instrumented force platforms upon which were mounted launching supports of various sizes, allowing us to test the influence of substrate diameter on jumping kinetics and performance. We used standard ergometric methods to quantify jumping parameters (e.g., takeoff velocity, total displacement, peak mechanical power) from force platform data during push-off. We found that tree squirrels display divergent mechanical strategies according to the type of substrate, prioritizing force production on flat ground versus center of mass displacement on narrower poles. As jumping represents a significant part of the locomotor behavior of most primates, we suggest that jumping from small arboreal substrates may have acted as a potential driver of the selection for elongated hindlimb segments in primates, allowing the center of mass to be accelerated over a longer distance-and thereby reducing the need for high substrate reaction forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Boulinguez-Ambroise
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA.
| | - Noah Dunham
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 44109, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2080 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Taylor Phelps
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | - Thomas Mazonas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | - Peter Nguyen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | | | - Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Gabriel S Yapuncich
- Medical Education Administration, Duke University School of Medicine, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, 27710, NC, USA
| | - Angel Zeininger
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
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5
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Wu Y, Fan L, Bai L, Li Q, Gu H, Sun C, Jiang T, Feng J. Ambush predation and the origin of euprimates. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6248. [PMID: 36103535 PMCID: PMC9473580 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Primates of modern aspect (euprimates) are characterized by a suite of characteristics (e.g., convergent orbits, grasping hands and feet, reduced claws, and leaping), but the selective pressures responsible for the evolution of these euprimate characteristics have long remained controversial. Here, we used a molecular phyloecological approach to determine the diet of the common ancestor of living primates (CALP), and the results showed that the CALP had increased carnivory. Given the carnivory of the CALP, along with the general observation that orbital convergence is largely restricted to ambush predators, our study suggests that the euprimate characteristics could have been more specifically adapted for ambush predation. In particular, our behavior experiment further shows that nonclaw climbing can significantly reduce noises, which could benefit the ancestral euprimates' stalking to ambush their prey in trees. Therefore, our study suggests that the distinctive euprimate characteristics may have evolved as their specialized adaptation for ambush predation in arboreal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Longcheng Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Lu Bai
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Qingqing Li
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Hao Gu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Congnan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, China
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6
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Berles P, Heymann EW, Golcher F, Nyakatura JA. Leaping and differential habitat use in sympatric tamarins in Amazonian Peru. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Differential habitat use in sympatric species can provide insight into how behavior relates to morphological differences and as a general model for the study of biological adaptations to different functional demands. In Amazonia, closely related sympatric tamarins of the genera Saguinus and Leontocebus regularly form stable mixed-species groups, but exhibit differences in foraging height and locomotor activity. To test the hypothesis that two closely related species in a mixed-species group prefer different modes of leaping regardless of the substrates available, we quantified leaping behavior in a mixed-species group of Saguinus mystax and Leontocebus nigrifrons. We studied leaping behavior in relation to support substrate type and foraging height in the field for 5 months in the Amazonian forest of north-eastern Peru. Saguinus mystax spent significantly more time above 15 m (79%) and used predominantly horizontal and narrow supports for leaping. Leontocebus nigrifrons was predominantly active below 10 m (87%) and exhibited relatively more trunk-to-trunk leaping. Both species preferred their predominant leaping modes regardless of support type availability in the different forest layers. This indicates that the supports most commonly available in each forest layer do not determine the tamarins’ leaping behavior. This apparent behavioral adaptation provides a baseline for further investigation into how behavioral differences are reflected in the morphology and species-specific biomechanics of leaping behavior and establishes callitrichid primates as a model well-suited to the general study of biological adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Berles
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eckhard W Heymann
- Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Deutsches Primatenzentrum – Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Kellnerweg, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Felix Golcher
- Institut für Deutsche Sprache und Linguistik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße, Berlin, Germany
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7
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Fukushima T, Siddall R, Schwab F, Toussaint SLD, Byrnes G, Nyakatura JA, Jusufi A. Inertial Tail Effects during Righting of Squirrels in Unexpected Falls: From Behavior to Robotics. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:589-602. [PMID: 33930150 PMCID: PMC8427179 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Arboreal mammals navigate a highly three dimensional and discontinuous habitat. Among arboreal mammals, squirrels demonstrate impressive agility. In a recent "viral" YouTube video, unsuspecting squirrels were mechanically catapulted off of a track, inducing an initially uncontrolled rotation of the body. Interestingly, they skillfully stabilized themselves using tail motion, which ultimately allowed the squirrels to land successfully. Here we analyze the mechanism by which the squirrels recover from large body angular rates. We analyzed from the video that squirrels first use their tail to help stabilizing their head to visually fix a landing site. Then the tail starts to rotate to help stabilizing the body, preparing themselves for landing. To analyze further the mechanism of this tail use during mid-air, we built a multibody squirrel model and showed the righting strategy based on body inertia moment changes and active angular momentum transfer between axes. To validate the hypothesized strategy, we made a squirrel-like robot and demonstrated a fall-stabilizing experiment. Our results demonstrate that a squirrel's long tail, despite comprising just 3% of body mass, can inertially stabilize a rapidly rotating body. This research contributes to better understanding the importance of long tails for righting mechanisms in animals living in complex environments such as trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiko Fukushima
- Locomotion in Biorobotic and Somatic Systems Group, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstraße 3, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Robert Siddall
- Locomotion in Biorobotic and Somatic Systems Group, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstraße 3, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Fabian Schwab
- Locomotion in Biorobotic and Somatic Systems Group, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstraße 3, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Séverine L D Toussaint
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Haus 2, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Greg Byrnes
- Department of Biology, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211, USA
| | - John A Nyakatura
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Haus 2, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ardian Jusufi
- Locomotion in Biorobotic and Somatic Systems Group, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstraße 3, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
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8
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Smith SK, Hilliard Young VK. Balancing on a Limb: Effects of Gravidity on Locomotion in Arboreal, Limbed Vertebrates. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:573-578. [PMID: 33885749 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is linked to a plethora of costs in gravid females, not least of which is a reduction in locomotor performance. Locomotor constraints due to gravidity are apparent across aquatic, terrestrial, and arboreal habitats. Decrements to speed and maneuverability are the most often cited performance consequences of gravidity, regardless of habitat. Arboreal habitats present additional challenges, as they often are composed of unstable and varying substrates that affect locomotor performance. Many arboreal taxa exhibit morphological adaptations, such as grasping extremities and tails, that function to aid in stability during locomotion. Tail length has been found to correlate with lifestyle: arboreal mammals tend to have relatively longer tails compared with terrestrial counterparts. Balancing on a limb is hard on its own, but when combined with increased mass and shifts in center of mass due to pregnancy, it becomes even more challenging. However, few studies have explored the constraints that govern the intersection of arboreal locomotion, reproductive cost, and morphology. In this review, we identify fruitful areas for expansion of research and knowledge (i.e., the role of the tail) when it comes to arboreal balance during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaylee K Smith
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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9
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Wölfer J, Aschenbach T, Michel J, Nyakatura JA. Mechanics of Arboreal Locomotion in Swinhoe’s Striped Squirrels: A Potential Model for Early Euarchontoglires. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.636039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences between arboreal and terrestrial supports likely pose less contrasting functional demands on the locomotor system at a small body size. For arboreal mammals of small body size, asymmetrical gaits have been demonstrated to be advantageous to increase dynamic stability. Many of the extant arboreal squirrel-related rodents display a small body size, claws on all digits, and limited prehensility, a combination that was proposed to have characterized the earliest Euarchontoglires. Thus, motion analysis of such a modern analog could shed light onto the early locomotor evolution of eurarchontoglirans. In this study, we investigated how Swinhoe’s striped squirrels (Tamiops swinhoei; Scuiromorpha) adjust their locomotion when faced with different orientations on broad supports and simulated small branches. We simultaneously recorded high-Hz videos (501 trials) and support reaction forces (451 trials) of squirrels running on two types of instrumented trackways installed at either a 45° incline (we recorded locomotion on inclines and declines) or with a horizontal orientation. The striped squirrels almost exclusively used asymmetrical gaits with a preference for full bounds. Locomotion on simulated branches did not differ substantially from locomotion on the flat trackway. We interpreted several of the quantified adjustments on declines and inclines (in comparison to horizontal supports) as mechanisms to increase stability (e.g., by minimizing toppling moments) and as adjustments to the differential loading of fore- and hind limbs on inclined supports. Our data, in addition to published comparative data and similarities to the locomotion of other small arboreal rodents, tree shrews, and primates as well as a likely small body size at the crown-group node of Euarchontoglires, render a preference for asymmetrical gaits in early members of the clade plausible. This contributes to our understanding of the ancestral lifestyle of this mammalian ‘superclade’.
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10
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Orkin JD, Kuderna LFK, Marques-Bonet T. The Diversity of Primates: From Biomedicine to Conservation Genomics. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 9:103-124. [PMID: 33197208 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-061220-023138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Until now, the field of primate genomics has focused on two major themes: understanding human evolution and advancing biomedical research. We propose that it is now time for a third theme to receive attention: conservation genomics. As a result of anthropogenic effects, the majority of primate species have become threatened with extinction. A more robust primate conservation genomics will allow for genetically informed population management. Thanks to a steady decline in the cost of sequencing, it has now become feasible to sequence whole primate genomes at the population level. Furthermore, technological advances in noninvasive genomic methods have made it possible to acquire genome-scale data from noninvasive biomaterials. Here, we review recent advances in the analysis of primate diversity, with a focus on genomic data sets across the radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Orkin
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Pompeu Fabra University and Spanish National Research Council, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; , ,
| | - Lukas F K Kuderna
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Pompeu Fabra University and Spanish National Research Council, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; , ,
| | - Tomas Marques-Bonet
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Pompeu Fabra University and Spanish National Research Council, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; , , .,Sequencing Unit, National Genomic Analysis Center, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Not all fine-branch locomotion is equal: Grasping morphology determines locomotor performance on narrow supports. J Hum Evol 2020; 142:102767. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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12
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Increased terrestriality in a Neotropical primate living on islands with reduced predation risk. J Hum Evol 2020; 143:102768. [PMID: 32247060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
An arboreal lifestyle is thought to be central to primate origins, and most extant primate species still live in the trees. Nonetheless, terrestrial locomotion is a widespread adaptation that has arisen repeatedly within the primate lineage. The absence of terrestriality among the New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) is thus notable and raises questions about the ecological pressures that constrain the expansion of platyrrhines into terrestrial niches. Here, we report the results of a natural experiment, comparing patterns of terrestrial behavior in white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator) living on two islands off the Pacific coast of Panama that lack mammalian predators (island sites) with the behavior of capuchins at three sites in central Panama with more intact predator communities (mainland sites). Surveys with camera traps revealed increased terrestriality in island vs. mainland sites. Capuchin detection rates were higher, the range of party sizes observed was larger, and individuals engaged in a wider range of terrestrial behaviors on the islands lacking mammalian predators. Furthermore, females carrying infants were frequently photographed on the ground at the island sites, but never at the mainland sites. These findings support the long-standing hypothesis that predators constrain the exploitation of terrestrial niches by primates. These results are also consistent with the hypothesis that arboreal locomotion imposes costs that primates will avoid by walking on the ground when predation risk is low.
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13
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Toussaint S, Llamosi A, Morino L, Youlatos D. The Central Role of Small Vertical Substrates for the Origin of Grasping in Early Primates. Curr Biol 2020; 30:1600-1613.e3. [PMID: 32169214 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The manual and pedal grasping abilities of primates, characterized by an opposable hallux, flat nails, and elongated digits, constitute a unique combination of features that likely promoted their characteristic use of arboreal habitats. These hand and foot specificities are central for understanding the origins and early evolution of primates and have long been associated with foraging in a fine-branch milieu. However, other arboreal mammals occupy similar niches, and it remains unclear how substrate type may have exerted a selective pressure on the acquisition of nails and a divergent pollex/hallux in primates or in what sequential order these traits evolved. Here, we video-recorded 14,564 grasps during arboreal locomotion in 11 primate species (6 strepsirrhines and 5 platyrrhines) and 11 non-primate arboreal species (1 scandentian, 3 rodents, 3 carnivorans, and 4 marsupials). We quantified our observations with 19 variables to analyze the effect of substrate orientation and diameter on hand and foot postural repertoire. We found that hand and foot postures correlate with phylogeny. Also, primates exhibited high repertoire diversity, with a strong capability for postural adjustment compared to the other studied groups. Surprisingly, nails do not confer an advantage in negotiating small substrates unless the animal is large, but the possession of a grasping pollex and hallux is crucial for climbing small vertical substrates. We propose that the divergent hallux and pollex may have resulted from a frequent use of vertical plants in early primate ecological scenarios, although nails may not have resulted from a fundamental adaptation to arboreal locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severine Toussaint
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie-Paris, UMR 7207, CNRS/MNHN/UPMC, 8 rue Buffon CP38, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France; Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire, Département Frontières du vivant et de l'apprendre, 8 bis rue Charles V, 75004 Paris, France; UFR Sciences Du Vivant, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Sorbonne Universités, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75013 Paris, France.
| | - Artémis Llamosi
- Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire, Département Frontières du vivant et de l'apprendre, 8 bis rue Charles V, 75004 Paris, France; UFR Sciences Du Vivant, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Sorbonne Universités, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Luca Morino
- Parc Zoologique de Paris, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 53 avenue de Saint Maurice, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Dionisios Youlatos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Panepistimioupoli, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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14
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Nyakatura JA. Early primate evolution: insights into the functional significance of grasping from motion analyses of extant mammals. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John A Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität, Philippstraße, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Dunham NT, McNamara A, Shapiro L, Phelps T, Wolfe AN, Young JW. Locomotor kinematics of tree squirrels (
Sciurus carolinensis
) in free‐ranging and laboratory environments: Implications for primate locomotion and evolution. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 331:103-119. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Noah T. Dunham
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown Ohio
| | - Allison McNamara
- Department of Anthropology University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
| | - Liza Shapiro
- Department of Anthropology University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
| | - Taylor Phelps
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown Ohio
| | - Adrienne N. Wolfe
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown Ohio
| | - Jesse W. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown Ohio
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16
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Locomotion, postures, substrate use, and foot grasping in the marsupial feathertail glider Acrobates pygmaeus (Diprotodontia: Acrobatidae): Insights into early euprimate evolution. J Hum Evol 2018; 123:148-159. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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17
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Kay RF. 100 years of primate paleontology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:652-676. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard F. Kay
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology and Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences; Duke University; Durham North Carolina 27708
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18
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Boyer DM, Toussaint S, Godinot M. Postcrania of the most primitive euprimate and implications for primate origins. J Hum Evol 2017; 111:202-215. [PMID: 28874272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The fossil record of early primates is largely comprised of dentitions. While teeth can indicate phylogenetic relationships and dietary preferences, they say little about hypotheses pertaining to the positional behavior or substrate preference of the ancestral crown primate. Here we report the discovery of a talus bone of the dentally primitive fossil euprimate Donrussellia provincialis. Our comparisons and analyses indicate that this talus is more primitive than that of other euprimates. It lacks features exclusive to strepsirrhines, like a large medial tibial facet and a sloping fibular facet. It also lacks the medially positioned flexor-fibularis groove of extant haplorhines. In these respects, the talus of D. provincialis comes surprisingly close to that of the pen-tailed treeshrew, Ptilocercus lowii, and extinct plesiadapiforms for which tali are known. However, it differs from P. lowii and is more like other early euprimates in exhibiting an expanded posterior trochlear shelf and deep talar body. In overall form, the bone approximates more leaping reliant euprimates. The phylogenetically basal signal from the new fossil is confirmed with cladistic analyses of two different character matrices, which place D. provincialis as the most basal strepsirrhine when the new tarsal data are included. Interpreting our results in the context of other recent discoveries, we conclude that the lineage leading to the ancestral euprimate had already become somewhat leaping specialized, while certain specializations for the small branch niche came after crown primates began to radiate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug M Boyer
- Duke University, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Séverine Toussaint
- UFR Sciences Du Vivant, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Sorbonne Universités, Centre de Recherche sur La Paléobiodiversité et Les Paléoenvironnements (CR2P, UMR 7207), CNRS/MNHN/UPMC, Paris, France
| | - Marc Godinot
- École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL, UMR 7207 CR2P, Paris, France
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19
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Agostini G, Rasoazanabary E, Godfrey LR. The befuddling nature of mouse lemur hands and feet at Bezà Mahafaly, SW Madagascar. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [PMID: 28605033 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The reddish-gray mouse lemur (Microcebus griseorufus) possesses striking phenotypic and behavioral variation. This project investigates differences in autopod proportions in neighboring populations of M. griseorufus from the Special Reserve at Bezà Mahafaly in southwest Madagascar. One population resides in an environment generally preferred by M. griseorufus-a spiny forest with large-trunked trees, vertically-oriented supports, and more open ground, while the other resides in a gallery forest with abundant small, often horizontal peripheral branches in high canopy. We demonstrate significant interpopulation differences in autopod morphophology despite no evidence of divergence in mitochondrial cytochrome b. We test two hypotheses regarding ultimate causation. The first, based on the Fine Branch Arborealism Hypothesis (FBAH), holds that autopod differences are related to different locomotor practices in the two environments, and the second, based on the Narrow Niche Hypothesis (NNH), holds that the observed differences reflect a relaxation (from ancestral to descendant conditions) of selective pressure for terrestrial locomotion and/or use of large, vertical supports combined with positive selection for locomoting in peripheral branch settings. Our data conform well to FBAH expectations and show some support for the NNH. Individuals from the gallery forest possess disproportionally long posterior digits that facilitate locomotion on small, flexible canopy supports while individuals from the spiny forest possess shorter posterior digits and a longer pollex/hallux that increase functional grasping diameter for large vertical supports and facilitate efficient ground locomotion. Focal individual data confirm differences in how often individuals descend to the ground and use vertical supports. We further show that predispersal juveniles, like adults, possess autopod morphologies suited to their natal forest. We explore two proximate mechanisms that could generate these cheiridial differences. The first posits an in vivo plastic response to different locomotor behaviors, the second posits differences that manifest in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Agostini
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | | | - Laurie R Godfrey
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
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20
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Young JW, Stricklen BM, Chadwell BA. Effects of support diameter and compliance on common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) gait kinematics. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2659-72. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.140939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Locomotion is precarious in an arboreal habitat, where supports can vary in both diameter and level of compliance. Several previous studies have evaluated the influence of substrate diameter on the locomotor performance of arboreal quadrupeds. The influence of substrate compliance, however, has been mostly unexamined. Here, we used a multifactorial experimental design to investigate how perturbations in both diameter and compliance affect the gait kinematics of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus; N=2) moving over simulated arboreal substrates. We used 3D-calibrated video to quantify marmoset locomotion over a horizontal trackway consisting of variably sized poles (5, 2.5 and 1.25 cm in diameter), analyzing a total of 120 strides. The central portion of the trackway was either immobile or mounted on compliant foam blocks, depending on condition. We found that narrowing diameter and increasing compliance were both associated with relatively longer substrate contact durations, though adjustments to diameter were often inconsistent relative to compliance-related adjustments. Marmosets also responded to narrowing diameter by reducing speed, flattening center of mass (CoM) movements and dampening support displacement on the compliant substrate. For the subset of strides on the compliant support, we found that speed, contact duration and CoM amplitude explained >60% of the variation in substrate displacement over a stride, suggesting a direct performance advantage to these kinematic adjustments. Overall, our results show that compliant substrates can exert a significant influence on gait kinematics. Substrate compliance, and not just support diameter, should be considered a critical environmental variable when evaluating locomotor performance in arboreal quadrupeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
- Musculoskeletal Biology Research Focus Area, NEOMED, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44240, USA
| | - Bethany M. Stricklen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Brad A. Chadwell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
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21
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Prufrock KA, Boyer DM, Silcox MT. The first major primate extinction: An evaluation of paleoecological dynamics of North American stem primates using a homology free measure of tooth shape. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 159:683-97. [PMID: 26739378 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The disappearance of the North American plesiadapoids (stem primates, or plesiadapiforms) in the latest Paleocene has been attributed to competition with rodents over dietary resources. This study compares molar morphology of plesiadapoids and early rodents to assess whether all taxa were adapted to consuming foods of the same structural properties with similar mechanical efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Micro-CT scans of second mandibular molars (M2 s) of plesiadapoids (n = 181) and ischyromyid (early fossil) rodents (n = 13) were evaluated using Dirichlet normal energy (DNE), a dental topographic metric that quantifies the curvature of a tooth's occlusal surface, independent of the orientation of the occlusal plane; this metric can be used to infer diet. RESULTS Comparisons of DNE values for plesiadapoids and rodents show that rodents shared functionally similar dental morphology with at least some plesiadapid plesiadapoids and thus were likely adapted to processing foods with similar physical properties. However, the DNE values for rodents contrast markedly with those for the other two plesiadapoid families, the Carpolestidae and Saxonellidae. CONCLUSIONS It is unlikely that direct competition over food resources with rodents played a major role in the extinction of carpolestids and saxonellids, as members of these families were capable of consuming a range of foods that were not accessible to rodents. Although several plesiadapid species overlap with rodents in their range of DNE values, only three overlap in time. One of these (Plesiadapis cookei) may have been too large to be in direct competition with rodents, another (Plesiadapis dubius) has DNE values substantially different (higher) than those of rodents, whereas the third, Chiromyoides, has teeth of both a similar size and DNE value to those of Clarkforkian rodents. If dietary niche overlap with rodents played a direct role in the decline of plesiadapiforms, it can only have potentially done so for Chiromyoides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Prufrock
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4.,Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205
| | - Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
| | - Mary T Silcox
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Herman Pontzer
- Hunter College, City University of New York, and New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10065;
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23
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Johnson LE, Hanna J, Schmitt D. Single-limb force data for two lemur species while vertically clinging. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 158:463-74. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Johnson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC 27708
| | - Jandy Hanna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine; Lewisburg WV 24901
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC 27708
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24
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Young JW, Russo GA, Fellmann CD, Thatikunta MA, Chadwell BA. Tail function during arboreal quadrupedalism in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) and tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:556-66. [PMID: 26173756 DOI: 10.1002/jez.1948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The need to maintain stability on narrow branches is often presented as a major selective force shaping primate morphology, with adaptations to facilitate grasping receiving particular attention. The functional importance of a long and mobile tail for maintaining arboreal stability has been comparatively understudied. Tails can facilitate arboreal balance by acting as either static counterbalances or dynamic inertial appendages able to modulate whole-body angular momentum. We investigate associations between tail use and inferred grasping ability in two closely related cebid platyrrhines-cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) and black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis). Using high-speed videography of captive monkeys moving on 3.2 cm diameter poles, we specifically test the hypothesis that squirrel monkeys (characterized by grasping extremities with long digits) will be less dependent on the tail for balance than tamarins (characterized by claw-like nails, short digits, and a reduced hallux). Tamarins have relatively longer tails than squirrel monkeys, move their tails through greater angular amplitudes, at higher angular velocities, and with greater angular accelerations, suggesting dynamic use of tail to regulate whole-body angular momentum. By contrast, squirrel monkeys generally hold their tails in a comparatively stationary posture and at more depressed angles, suggesting a static counterbalancing mechanism. This study, the first empirical test of functional tradeoffs between grasping ability and tail use in arboreal primates, suggests a critical role for the tail in maintaining stability during arboreal quadrupedalism. Our findings have the potential to inform our functional understanding of tail loss during primate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
| | - Gabrielle A Russo
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Connie D Fellmann
- Department of Anthropology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Meena A Thatikunta
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio
| | - Brad A Chadwell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio
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25
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Substrate Diameter and Orientation in the Context of Food Type in the Gray Mouse Lemur, Microcebus murinus: Implications for the Origins of Grasping in Primates. INT J PRIMATOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9844-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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26
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Youlatos D, Karantanis NE, Byron CD, Panyutina A. Pedal grasping in an arboreal rodent relates to above-branch behavior on slender substrates. J Zool (1987) 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Youlatos
- Department of Zoology; School of Biology; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Thessaloniki Greece
| | - N. E. Karantanis
- Department of Zoology; School of Biology; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Thessaloniki Greece
| | - C. D. Byron
- Department of Biology; College of Liberal Arts; Mercer University; Macon GA USA
| | - A. Panyutina
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution; Russian Academy of Sciences; Moscow Russia
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27
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Byron CD, Herrel A, Pauwels E, Muynck AD, Patel BA. Mouse hallucal metatarsal cross‐sectional geometry in a simulated fine branch niche. J Morphol 2015; 276:759-65. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 01/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Departement d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la BiodiversiteCNRS/MNHNParis France
- Department of Vertebrate Evolutionary MorphologyGhent UniversityGent Belgium
| | - Elin Pauwels
- Department of Physics and AstronomyGhent UniversityUGCTGhent Belgium
| | - Amelie De Muynck
- Department of Physics and AstronomyGhent UniversityUGCTGhent Belgium
| | - Biren A. Patel
- Department of Cell and NeurobiologyKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles California
- Human and Evolutionary Biology SectionDepartment of Biological SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles California
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28
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Chadwell BA, Young JW. Angular momentum and arboreal stability in common marmosets (Callithrixjacchus). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 156:565-76. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brad A. Chadwell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED); Rootstown OH 44272
- Skeletal Biology Research Focus Area, NEOMED; Rootstown OH 44272
| | - Jesse W. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED); Rootstown OH 44272
- Skeletal Biology Research Focus Area, NEOMED; Rootstown OH 44272
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University; Kent OH 44240
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29
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Granatosky MC, Lemelin P, Chester SGB, Pampush JD, Schmitt D. Functional and evolutionary aspects of axial stability in euarchontans and other mammals. J Morphol 2013; 275:313-27. [PMID: 24288155 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The presence of a stable thoracolumbar region, found in many arboreal mammals, is considered advantageous for bridging and cantilevering between discontinuous branches. However, no study has directly explored the link between osteological features cited as enhancing axial stability and the frequency of cantilevering and bridging behaviors in a terminal branch environment. To fill this gap, we collected metric data on costal and vertebral morphology of primate and nonprimate mammals known to cantilever and bridge frequently and those that do not. We also quantified the frequency and duration of cantilevering and bridging behaviors using experimental setups for species that have been reported to show differences in use of small branches and back anatomy (Caluromys philander, Loris tardigradus, Monodelphis domestica, and Cheirogaleus medius). Phylogenetically corrected principal component analysis reveals that taxa employing frequent bridging and cantilevering (C. philander and lorises) also exhibit reduced intervertebral and intercostal spaces, which can serve to increase thoracolumbar stability, when compared to closely related species (M. domestica and C. medius). We observed C. philander cantilevering and bridging significantly more often than M. domestica, which never cantilevered or crossed any arboreal gaps. Although no difference in the frequency of cantilevering was observed between L. tardigradus and C. medius, the duration of cantilevering bouts was significantly greater in L. tardigradus. These data suggest that osteological features promoting axial rigidity may be part of a morpho-behavioral complex that increases stability in mammals moving and foraging in a terminal branch environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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30
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Toussaint S, Reghem E, Chotard H, Herrel A, Ross CF, Pouydebat E. Food acquisition on arboreal substrates by the grey mouse lemur: implication for primate grasping evolution. J Zool (1987) 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Toussaint
- Département d'Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR7179; Paris France
| | - E. Reghem
- Département d'Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR7179; Paris France
| | - H. Chotard
- Département d'Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR7179; Paris France
| | - A. Herrel
- Département d'Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR7179; Paris France
| | - C. F. Ross
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy; University of Chicago; Chicago IL USA
| | - E. Pouydebat
- Département d'Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR7179; Paris France
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31
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Rosenberger AL. Fallback foods, preferred foods, adaptive zones, and primate origins. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:883-90. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Revised: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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32
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Abstract
When people learn that I study human evolution and we start talking about it, they sometimes ask me, "How long ago did the first humans live?" My answer is usually another question: "What do you mean by 'humans'?" That response seems as baffling and wrong-headed to them as their question seems to me, and it usually takes us a while to straighten things out. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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33
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Sustaita D, Pouydebat E, Manzano A, Abdala V, Hertel F, Herrel A. Getting a grip on tetrapod grasping: form, function, and evolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 88:380-405. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sustaita
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Connecticut; 75 N. Eagleville Road; Storrs; CT; 06269-3043; USA
| | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N; 57 rue Cuvier; 75231; Paris; France
| | - Adriana Manzano
- CONICET-UADER; Matteri y España, (3105); Entre Ríos; Argentina
| | - Virginia Abdala
- Instituto de Herpetología; Fundación Miguel Lillo-CONICET; Miguel Lillo 251; Tucumán; Argentina
| | - Fritz Hertel
- Department of Biology; California State University; 18111 Nordhoff Street; Northbridge; CA; 91330-8303; USA
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR 7179 C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N; 57 rue Cuvier; 75231; Paris; France
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34
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Urbani B, Youlatos D. Positional behavior and substrate use of Micromys minutus (Rodentia: Muridae): insights for understanding primate origins. J Hum Evol 2012; 64:130-6. [PMID: 23228949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2011] [Revised: 10/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origins of primates, suggesting evolutionary scenarios that are usually paralleled to modern mammalian models that partly simulate the morpho-behavioral apomorphies of primates. The current study examines substrate use and positional behavior of tiny-sized Eurasian harvest mice (Micromys minutus) as living models for inferring the evolution of versatile behavior, flexible branch use and pedal grasping in early small-sized primates. Micromys exhibits a diverse locomotor repertoire composed of clambering and climbing, and uses postural modes requiring secure pedal grasping. It also makes considerable use of fine flexible substrates of various inclinations during both feeding/foraging and traveling. This profile seems to represent an intermediate step between stage 2 (Tupaia-stage) and stage 3 (Caluromys-stage) in Sargis et al.'s (2007) primate evolutionary scenario. Furthermore, our findings suggest that tiny size in itself brings a unique level of flexibility in posture and locomotion that has heretofore been underappreciated in the primate evolution literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Urbani
- Centro de Antropología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apartado 66.755, Caracas 1061-A, Venezuela.
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