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Cosnefroy Q, Berillon G, Gilissen E, Brige P, Chaumoître K, Lamberton F, Marchal F. New insights into patterns of integration in the femur and pelvis among catarrhines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24931. [PMID: 38491922 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Integration reflects the level of coordinated variation of the phenotype. The integration of postcranial elements can be studied from a functional perspective, especially with regards to locomotion. This study investigates the link between locomotion, femoral structural properties, and femur-pelvis complex morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS We measured (1) morphological integration between femoral and pelvic morphologies using geometric morphometrics, and (2) covariation between femoral/pelvic morphologies and femoral diaphyseal cross-sectional properties, which we defined as morpho-structural integration. Morphological and morpho-structural integration patterns were measured among humans (n = 19), chimpanzees and bonobos (n = 16), and baboons (n = 14), whose locomotion are distinct. RESULTS Baboons show the highest magnitude of morphological integration and the lowest of morpho-structural integration. Chimpanzees and bonobos show intermediate magnitude of morphological and morpho-structural integration. Yet, body size seems to have a considerable influence on both integration patterns, limiting the interpretations. Finally, humans present the lowest morphological integration and the highest morpho-structural integration between femoral morphology and structural properties but not between pelvic morphology and femur. DISCUSSION Morphological and morpho-structural integration depict distinct strategies among the samples. A strong morphological integration among baboon's femur-pelvis module might highlight evidence for long-term adaptation to quadrupedalism. In humans, it is likely that distinct selective pressures associated with the respective function of the pelvis and the femur tend to decrease morphological integration. Conversely, high mechanical loading on the hindlimbs during bipedal locomotion might result in specific combination of structural and morphological features within the femur.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
- Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pauline Brige
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CERIMED, Marseille, France
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, Pôle Pharmacie, Radiopharmacie, Marseille, France
| | - Kathia Chaumoître
- UMR 7268 ADES, Aix-Marseille Univ-CNRS-EFS, Marseille, France
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital Nord, Aix-Marseille Univ, Service d'Imagerie Médicale, Marseille, France
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Mitani JC, Angedakin S, Kasozi H, Rowney C, Sarringhaus L, Tibisimwa J, Watts DP, Langergraber KE. Removing snares is an effective conservation intervention: a case study involving chimpanzees. Primates 2024:10.1007/s10329-024-01139-3. [PMID: 38787490 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-024-01139-3] [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: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are caught in snares set for other animals and sometimes injure or lose body parts. Snaring can compromise the health, growth, survival, and behavior of chimpanzees and, thus, represents a threat for the conservation of this endangered species. During a long-term study of chimpanzees at Ngogo in Kibale National Park, Uganda, we started a project to remove snares in and around their territory. We compared the number of times chimpanzees were snared during the 12.75 years after the start of this project with the number of times individuals were snared during the previous 14 years. Only one chimpanzee was snared after we began removing snares compared with 12 individuals caught during the period before. This represents a clear reduction in the risk created by snaring at this site and suggests that removing snares can be employed to protect chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Mitani
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
| | - Samuel Angedakin
- Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Environmental Management, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Herbert Kasozi
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | - David P Watts
- Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kevin E Langergraber
- Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Bleuze MM. Changes in limb bone diaphyseal structure in chimpanzees during development. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e24942. [PMID: 38602254 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study tests if femoral and humeral cross-sectional geometry (CSG) and cross-sectional properties (CSPs) in an ontogenetic series of wild-caught chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ssp.) reflect locomotor behavior during development. The goal is to clarify the relationship between limb bone structure and locomotor behavior during ontogeny in Pan. MATERIALS AND METHODS The latex cast method was used to reconstruct cross sections at the midshaft femur and mid-distal humerus. Second moments of area (SMAs) (Ix, Iy, Imax, Imin), which are proportional to bending rigidity about a specified axis, and the polar SMA (J), which is proportional to average bending rigidity, were calculated at section locations. Cross-sectional shape (CSS) was assessed from Ix/Iy and Imax/Imin ratios. Juvenile and adult subsamples were compared. RESULTS Juveniles and adults have significantly greater femoral J compared to humeral J. Mean interlimb proportions of J are not significantly different between the groups. There is an overall decreasing trend in diaphyseal circularity between the juvenile phase of development and adulthood, although significant differences are only found in the humerus. DISCUSSION Juvenile chimpanzee locomotion includes forelimb- and hindlimb-biased behaviors. Juveniles and adults preferentially load their hindlimbs relative to their forelimbs. This may indicate similar locomotor behavior, although other explanations including a diversity of hindlimb-biased locomotor behaviors in juveniles cannot be ruled out. Different ontogenetic trends in forelimb and hindlimb CSS are consistent with limb bone CSG reflecting functional adaptation, albeit the complex nature of bone functional adaptation requires cautious interpretations of skeletal functional morphology from biomechanical analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Bleuze
- Institutional affiliation: Department of Anthropology, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Kralick AE, Zemel BS, Nolan C, Lin P, Tocheri MW. Relative leg-to-arm skeletal strength proportions in orangutans by species and sex. J Hum Evol 2024; 188:103496. [PMID: 38412694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Among extant great apes, orangutans climb most frequently. However, Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) exhibit higher frequencies of terrestrial locomotion than do Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). Variation in long bone cross-sectional geometry is known to reflect differential loading of the limbs. Thus, Bornean orangutans should show greater relative leg-to-arm strength than their Sumatran counterparts. Using skeletal specimens from museum collections, we measured two cross-sectional geometric measures of bone strength: the polar section modulus (Zpol) and the ratio of maximum to minimum area moments of inertia (Imax/Imin), at the midshaft of long bones in Bornean (n = 19) and Sumatran adult orangutans (n = 12) using medical CT and peripheral quantitative CT scans, and compared results to published data of other great apes. Relative leg-to-arm strength was quantified using ratios of femur and tibia over humerus, radius, and ulna, respectively. Differences between orangutan species and between sexes in median ratios were assessed using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. The tibia of Bornean orangutans was stronger relative to the humerus and the ulna than in Sumatran orangutans (p = 0.008 and 0.025, respectively), consistent with behavioral studies that indicate higher frequencies of terrestrial locomotion in the former. In three Zpol ratios, adult female orangutans showed greater leg-to-arm bone strength compared to flanged males, which may relate to females using their legs more during arboreal locomotion than in adult flanged males. A greater amount of habitat discontinuity on Borneo compared to Sumatra has been posited as a possible explanation for observed interspecific differences in locomotor behaviors, but recent camera trap studies has called this into question. Alternatively, greater frequencies of terrestriality in Pongo pygmaeus may be due to the absence of tigers on Borneo. The results of this study are consistent with the latter explanation given that habitat continuity was greater a century ago when our study sample was collected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Kralick
- Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
| | - Babette S Zemel
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Clara Nolan
- Fine Arts Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Phillip Lin
- Stockdale High School, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Matthew W Tocheri
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5E1, Canada; Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 20013, USA; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, NSW, 2522, Australia
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Kinkopf KM, Agarwal SC, Giuffra V, Minozzi S, Campana S, Caramella D, Riccomi G. Contextualizing bilateral asymmetry and gender: A multivariate approach to femoral cross-sectional geometry at rural Medieval Pieve di Pava, Italy. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 180:173-195. [PMID: 36790747 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our objective was to identify the relationship between biocultural factors of sex-gender and age and patterns of femoral cross-sectional geometry with historical evidence about labor and activity from an archeological skeletal sample excavated from the rural Medieval site Pieve di Pava. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study site, Pieve di Pava, was a rural parish cemetery in Tuscany with osteoarcheological remains from the 7th to 12th centuries. Cross-sectional geometric analysis of femora from 110 individuals dated to the 10th-12th centuries were used to examine trends in bone quantity, shape, and bending strength between age and sex groups, as well as in clusters identified through Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). RESULTS Overall, our study sample showed remarkable heterogeneity and our cluster analysis revealed a complex underlying structure, indicating that divisions of labor did not follow a strict gender binary in our sample. We found high levels of bilateral asymmetry in our sample in multiple cross-sectional areas for a significant proportion of the population. We found minimal differences between age groups or sex. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that males and females had varied experiences of labor and work during their lives that did not reflect the strict binary gender roles sometimes documented for medieval Europe. One important axis of difference is the direction and magnitude of bilateral asymmetry observed in our femur sample, which is associated with divergent trends in section moduli and bone area measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Kinkopf
- Department of Geography and Anthropology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sabrina C Agarwal
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Simona Minozzi
- Paleopathology Division, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Campana
- Department of History and Cultural Heritage, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Riccomi
- Paleopathology Division, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Sarringhaus L, Lewton KL, Iqbal S, Carlson KJ. Ape femoral-humeral rigidities and arboreal locomotion. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 179:624-639. [PMID: 36790629 PMCID: PMC9828227 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study investigates patterns of bone functional adaptations in extant apes through comparing hindlimb to forelimb bone rigidity ratios in groups with varying levels of arboreality. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using CT scans, bone rigidity (J) was calculated at three regions of interest (ROI) along femoral and humeral diaphyses in Homo, Pongo, Pan, and Gorilla with further comparisons made between species and subspecies divisions within Pan and Gorilla. RESULTS Consistent with previous work on extant hominoids, species exhibited differences in midshaft femoral to humeral (F/H) rigidity ratios. Results of the present study confirm that these midshaft differences extend to 35% and 65% diaphyseal ROIs. Modern humans, exhibiting larger ratios, and orangutans, exhibiting smaller ratios, bracketed the intermediate African apes in comparisons. Within some African apes, limb rigidity ratios varied significantly between taxonomic groups. Eastern gorillas exhibited the highest mean ratios and chimpanzees the lowest at all three ROIs. In posthoc comparisons, chimpanzees and bonobos did not differ in relative limb rigidity ratios at any of the three ROIs. However, western gorillas were more similar to bonobos than eastern gorillas at 50% and 35% ROIs, but not at the 65% ROI. CONCLUSION Species, and to a lesser extent subspecies, can be distinguished by F/H limb rigidity ratios according to broad positional behavior patterns at multiple regions of interest along the diaphyses. Similarity of bonobos and western gorillas is in line with behavioral data of bonobos being the most terrestrial of Pan species, and western gorillas the most arboreal of the Gorilla groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Sarringhaus
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA,Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Kristi L. Lewton
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Safiyyah Iqbal
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Kristian J. Carlson
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
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Casado A, Avià Y, Llorente M, Riba D, Pastor JF, Potau JM. Effects of Captivity on the Morphology of the Insertion Sites of the Palmar Radiocarpal Ligaments in Hominoid Primates. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11071856. [PMID: 34206513 PMCID: PMC8300253 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this manuscript, we report the results of our 3D geometric morphometric analyses of the distal radial epiphysis in wild and captive gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. We have identified significant differences in the insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments between the wild and captive specimens of each species that are likely related to the locomotor behaviors developed in captivity. We believe that our study deals with a subject of great social impact in today’s world: the well-being of animals living in captivity, especially hominoid primates. Our findings provide novel information on the effect of captivity on the anatomy and locomotor behavior of hominoid primates. We trust that this information can be a basis for improving the artificial spaces where these captive primates live by increasing their available space and providing structures that more closely simulate their natural environment. Abstract The environmental conditions of captive hominoid primates can lead to modifications in several aspects of their behavior, including locomotion, which can then alter the morphological characteristics of certain anatomical regions, such as the knee or wrist. We have performed tridimensional geometric morphometrics (3D GM) analyses of the distal radial epiphysis in wild and captive gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Our objective was to study the morphology of the insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments, since the anatomical characteristics of these insertion sites are closely related to the different types of locomotion of these hominoid primates. We have identified significant differences between the wild and captive specimens that are likely related to their different types of locomotion. Our results indicate that the habitat conditions of captive hominoid primates may cause them to modify their locomotor behavior, leading to a greater use of certain movements in captivity than in the wild and resulting in the anatomical changes we have observed. We suggest that creating more natural environments in zoological facilities could reduce the impact of these differences and also increase the well-being of primates raised in captive environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aroa Casado
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Faculty of Geography and History, Institut d’Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Yasmina Avià
- Faculty of Geography and History, Institut d’Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain;
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Department of Psychology, Serra Húnter Fellow, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain;
| | - David Riba
- Department of History and History of Art, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain;
| | - Juan Francisco Pastor
- Department of Anatomy and Radiology, University of Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Josep Maria Potau
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Faculty of Geography and History, Institut d’Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-934-021-906
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Sefczek TM, McGraw WS, Faralahy DM, Manampisoa GM, Louis EE. Locomotion of an adult female and juvenile male aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in Torotorofotsy, Madagascar. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23267. [PMID: 33956356 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23267] [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: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) locate and acquire invertebrates from within woody substrates at all levels of the rainforest; yet how their locomotion helps them accommodate this diet has not been explored in detail. We studied the locomotor behavior of an adult female (N = 1,085) and juvenile male (N = 708) aye-aye in the undisturbed forest of Torotorofotsy, Madagascar from May to December 2017. We used bout sampling to record locomotion during foraging and travel of the two radio-collared individuals. We used χ 2 tests to compare overall locomotion, travel, and foraging, as well as strata and support use. We performed a correspondence analysis to examine relationships between individual behaviors, strata, and support types. Leaping accounted for 47.9% and 50.1% of all locomotor activity in the adult female and juvenile male, respectively. Leaping was the most common behavior during travel in both individuals (59.2% and 53.9%, respectively), whereas head-first descent was most frequent during foraging (35.0% and 48.0%, respectively). For all three locomotor categories, the main canopy (40.3%-79.6%) was used most frequently and trunks were the most frequently used support type (50.7%-60.0%). There is a strong association between strata and support use overall and during travel. Quadrupedal walking was significantly associated with the main canopy, as was head-first descent with the low canopy. Our analysis demonstrates that aye-ayes use a variety of locomotor behaviors to forage for invertebrates. Aye-ayes' ability to repurpose their positional repertoire to acquire other resources in degraded forests should not obscure the importance of invertebrates to this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Sefczek
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Center for Conservation and Research, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - W Scott McGraw
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | - Edward E Louis
- Center for Conservation and Research, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, Antananarivo, Madagascar
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García-Martínez D, Green DJ, Bermúdez de Castro JM. Evolutionary development of the Homo antecessor scapulae (Gran Dolina site, Atapuerca) suggests a modern-like development for Lower Pleistocene Homo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4102. [PMID: 33602966 PMCID: PMC7892855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83039-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Two well-preserved, subadult 800 ky scapulae from Gran Dolina belonging to Homo antecessor, provide a unique opportunity to investigate the ontogeny of shoulder morphology in Lower Pleistocene humans. We compared the H. antecessor scapulae with a sample of 98 P. troglodytes and 108 H. sapiens representatives covering seven growth stages, as well as with the DIK-1-1 (Dikika; Australopithecus afarensis), KNM-WT 15000 (Nariokotome; H. ergaster), and MH2 (Malapa; A. sediba) specimens. We quantified 15 landmarks on each scapula and performed geometric morphometric analyses. H. sapiens scapulae are mediolaterally broader with laterally oriented glenoid fossae relative to Pan and Dikika shoulder blades. Accordingly, H. antecessor scapulae shared more morphological affinities with modern humans, KNM-WT 15000, and even MH2. Both H. antecessor and modern Homo showed significantly more positive scapular growth trajectories than Pan (slopes: P. troglodytes = 0.0012; H. sapiens = 0.0018; H. antecessor = 0.0020). Similarities in ontogenetic trajectories between the H. antecessor and modern human data suggest that Lower Pleistocene hominin scapular development was already modern human-like. At the same time, several morphological features distinguish H. antecessor scapulae from modern humans along the entire trajectory. Future studies should include additional Australopithecus specimens for further comparative assessment of scapular growth trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel García-Martínez
- Centro Nacional para el Estudio de la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain.
- Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David J Green
- Department of Anatomy, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Buies Creek, NC, 27506, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, WITS, 2050, South Africa
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Zelazny KG, Sylvester AD, Ruff CB. Bilateral asymmetry and developmental plasticity of the humerus in modern humans. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 174:418-433. [PMID: 33460465 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigates bilateral asymmetry in the humerus of modern human populations with differing activity patterns to assess the relative plasticity of different bone regions in response to environmental influences, particularly the biomechanical demands of handedness. METHODS External breadths, cross-sectional properties, and centroid sizes were used to quantify directional and absolute asymmetry of humeral diaphyseal, distal periarticular, and articular regions in six populations with differing subsistence strategies (total n = 244). Geometric section properties were measured using computed tomography at six locations along the distal humerus, while centroid sizes of the distal articular and periarticular regions, as well as eight segments of the diaphysis, were extracted from external landmark data. Bilateral asymmetries were compared between populations and sexes. Each property was also tested for correlation with bilateral asymmetry at 40% of bone length, which has been shown to correlate with handedness. RESULTS Asymmetry is highest in the diaphysis, but significant through all distal bone regions. Asymmetry increases in the region of the deltoid tuberosity, and progressively declines distally through the shaft and distal periarticular region. Articular asymmetry is higher than periarticular asymmetry, approaching levels seen just proximal to the olecranon fossa, and is weakly but significantly correlated with diaphyseal asymmetry. Hunter-gatherers from Indian Knoll have significantly higher levels of asymmetry than other groups and are more sexually dimorphic, particularly in cross-sectional properties of the diaphysis. CONCLUSIONS Humeral dimensions throughout the diaphysis, including regions currently used in taxonomic assignments of fossil hominins, likely respond to in vivo use, including population and sex-specific behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaya G Zelazny
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adam D Sylvester
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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11
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Nadell JA, Elton S, Kovarovic K. Ontogenetic and morphological variation in primate long bones reflects signals of size and behavior. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:327-351. [PMID: 33368154 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Many primates change their locomotor behavior as they mature from infancy to adulthood. Here we investigate how long bone cross-sectional geometry in Pan, Gorilla, Pongo, Hylobatidae, and Macaca varies in shape and form over ontogeny, including whether specific diaphyseal cross sections exhibit signals of periosteal adaptation or canalization. MATERIALS AND METHODS Diaphyseal cross sections were analyzed in an ontogenetic series across infant, juvenile, and adult subgroups. Three-dimensional laser-scanned long bone models were sectioned at midshaft (50% of biomechanical length) and distally (20%) along the humerus and femur. Traditional axis ratios acted as indices of cross-sectional circularity, while geometric morphometric techniques were used to study cross-sectional allometry and ontogenetic trajectory. RESULTS The humeral midshaft is a strong indicator of posture and locomotor profile in the sample across development, while the mid-femur appears more reflective of shifts in size. By comparison, the distal diaphyses of both limb elements are more ontogenetically constrained, where periosteal shape is largely static across development relative to size, irrespective of a given taxon's behavior or ecology. DISCUSSION Primate limb shape is not only highly variable between taxa over development, but at discrete humeral and femoral diaphyseal locations. Overall, periosteal shape of the humeral and femoral midshaft cross sections closely reflects ontogenetic transitions in behavior and size, respectively, while distal shape in both bones appears more genetically constrained across intraspecific development, regardless of posture or size. These findings support prior research on tradeoffs between function and safety along the limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Nadell
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Elton
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Kris Kovarovic
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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12
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Ruff CB, Junno JA, Eckardt W, Gilardi K, Mudakikwa A, McFarlin SC. Skeletal ageing in Virunga mountain gorillas. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190606. [PMID: 32951549 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0606] [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: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone loss and heightened fracture risk are common conditions associated with ageing in modern human populations and have been attributed to both hormonal and other metabolic and behavioural changes. To what extent these age-related trends are specific to modern humans or generally characteristic of natural populations of other taxa is not clear. In this study, we use computed tomography to examine age changes in long bone and vertebral structural properties of 34 wild-adult Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) whose skeletons were recovered from natural accumulations. Chronological ages were known or estimated from sample-specific dental wear formulae and ranged between 11 and 43 years. Gorillas show some of the same characteristics of skeletal ageing as modern humans, including endosteal and some periosteal expansion. However, unlike in humans, there is no decline in cortical or trabecular bone density, or in combined geometric-density measures of strength, nor do females show accelerated bone loss later in life. We attribute these differences to the lack of an extended post-reproductive period in gorillas, which provides protection against bone resorption. Increases in age-related fractures (osteoporosis) in modern humans may be a combined effect of an extended lifespan and lower activity levels earlier in life. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | | | - Kirsten Gilardi
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and Conservation, Rwanda Development Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Shannon C McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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13
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Landi F, Profico A, Veneziano A, De Groote I, Manzi G. Locomotion, posture, and the foramen magnum in primates: Reliability of indices and insights into hominin bipedalism. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23170. [PMID: 32639073 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23170] [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: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The position (FMP) and orientation (FMO) of the foramen magnum have been used as proxies for locomotion and posture in extant and extinct primates. Several indices have been designed to quantify FMP and FMO but their application has led to conflicting results. Here, we test six widely used indices and two approaches (univariate and multivariate) for their capability to discriminate between postural and locomotor types in extant primates and fossil hominins. We then look at the locomotion of australopithecines and Homo on the base of these new findings. The following measurements are used: the opisthocranion-prosthion (OP-PR) and the opisthocranion-glabella (OP-GL) indices, the basion-biporion (BA-BP) and basion-bicarotid chords, the foramen magnum angle (FMA), and the basion-sphenoccipital ratio. After exploring the indices variability using principal component analysis, pairwise comparisons are performed to test for the association between each index and the locomotor and postural habits. Cranial size and phylogeny are taken into account. Our analysis indicates that none of the indices or approaches provides complete discrimination across locomotor and postural categories, although some differences are highlighted. FMA and BA-BP distinguish respectively obligate and facultative bipeds from all other groups. For what concerns posture, orthogrades and pronogrades differ with respects to OP-PR, OP-GL, and FMA. Although the multivariate approach seems to have some discrimination power, the results are most likely driven by facial and neurocranial variability embedded in some of the indices. These results demonstrate that indices relying on the anteroposterior positioning of the foramen may not be appropriate proxies for locomotion among primates. The assumptions about locomotor and postural habits in fossil hominins based on foramen magnum indices should be revised in light of these new findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Landi
- CAHS, Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, York, UK
| | - Antonio Profico
- Department of Archaeology, PalaeoHub, University of York, York, UK
| | - Alessio Veneziano
- SYRMEP, SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics, Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Isabelle De Groote
- Department of Archaeology, Section Prehistory of Western Europe, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Mathematics Physics and Natural Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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14
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Patel BA, Orr CM, Jashashvili T. Strength properties of extant hominoid hallucal and pollical metapodials. J Hum Evol 2020; 143:102774. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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15
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Gómez M, Casado A, De Diego M, Arias-Martorell J, Pastor JF, Potau JM. Quantitative shape analysis of the deltoid tuberosity of modern humans (Homo sapiens) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Ann Anat 2020; 230:151505. [PMID: 32173565 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify anatomical differences in the deltoid tuberosity of Homo sapiens and Pan troglodytes, potentially relating to the different uses of the forelimb in these two phylogenetically related species. BASIC PROCEDURES We have used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics (3D GM) to analyze the deltoid tuberosity of scanned humeri from 30 H. sapiens and 27 P. troglodytes. We also used the 3D scans of the humeri to calculate the surface area of the deltoid tuberosity. Finally, we dissected the deltoid muscles of three H. sapiens and three P. troglodytes to determine the relative mass and the physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) of each part of the muscle. MAIN FINDINGS The 3D GM analysis of the deltoid tuberosity identified an anteroposterior enlargement of the P. troglodytes tuberosity, with a lateral displacement of the middle segment, whereas in H. sapiens, there was a distal displacement of the middle segment. Muscle architecture analysis indicated higher normalized values of the PCSA of the clavicular and acromial deltoid in P. troglodytes. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS The anatomical features observed in our P. troglodytes specimens serve to strengthen the three parts of the deltoid muscle. This fact can be related to the use of the forelimb in locomotion, both arboreal and knuckle-walking, in this species. Humans use the forelimb mainly in manipulative tasks, so they do not develop - as do chimpanzees - the anatomical features that increase the deltoid force. Our findings have shown that the different uses of the forelimb in modern humans and common chimpanzees can affect both muscle architecture and bone morphology, either jointly or separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gómez
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, C/Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aroa Casado
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, C/Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina De Diego
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, C/Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Júlia Arias-Martorell
- Animal Postcranial Evolution (APE) Lab, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Juan Francisco Pastor
- Department of Anatomy and Radiology, University of Valladolid, C/Ramón y Cajal 7, 47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Josep Maria Potau
- Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, C/Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
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16
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Nalley TK, Scott JE, Ward CV, Alemseged Z. Comparative morphology and ontogeny of the thoracolumbar transition in great apes, humans, and fossil hominins. J Hum Evol 2019; 134:102632. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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17
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Ruff CB, Harper CM, Goldstein DM, Daegling DJ, McGraw WS. Long bone structural proportions and locomotor behavior in Cercopithecidae. J Hum Evol 2019; 132:47-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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18
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Friedl L, Claxton AG, Walker CS, Churchill SE, Holliday TW, Hawks J, Berger LR, DeSilva JM, Marchi D. Femoral neck and shaft structure in Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber (Rising Star System, South Africa). J Hum Evol 2019; 133:61-77. [PMID: 31358184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The abundant femoral assemblage of Homo naledi found in the Dinaledi Chamber provides a unique opportunity to test hypotheses regarding the taxonomy, locomotion, and loading patterns of this species. Here we describe neck and shaft cross-sectional structure of all the femoral fossils recovered in the Dinaledi Chamber and compare them to a broad sample of fossil hominins, recent humans, and extant apes. Cross-sectional geometric (CSG) properties from the femoral neck (base of neck and midneck) and diaphysis (subtrochanteric region and midshaft) were obtained through CT scans for H. naledi and through CT scans or from the literature for the comparative sample. The comparison of CSG properties of H. naledi and the comparative samples shows that H. naledi femoral neck is quite derived with low superoinferior cortical thickness ratio and high relative cortical area. The neck appears superoinferiorly elongated because of two bony pilasters on its superior surface. Homo naledi femoral shaft shows a relatively thick cortex compared to the other hominins. The subtrochanteric region of the diaphysis is mediolaterally elongated resembling early hominins while the midshaft is anteroposteriorly elongated, indicating high mobility levels. In term of diaphyseal robusticity, the H. naledi femur is more gracile that other hominins and most apes. Homo naledi shows a unique combination of characteristics in its femur that undoubtedly indicate a species committed to terrestrial bipedalism but with a unique loading pattern of the femur possibly consequence of the unique postcranial anatomy of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Friedl
- Department of Anthropology, University of West Bohemia, Plzeň, Czech Republic
| | - Alex G Claxton
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, 409 Silsby, HB 6047, Hanover, USA
| | - Christopher S Walker
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 04 Bio Sci Bldg, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Steven E Churchill
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 04 Bio Sci Bldg, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Trenton W Holliday
- Department of Anthropology, Tulane University, 417 Dinwiddie Hall, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - John Hawks
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, 5325 Sewell Social Science Building, Madison, WI, 53706, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Lee R Berger
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Jeremy M DeSilva
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, 409 Silsby, HB 6047, Hanover, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Damiano Marchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, vis Derna 1, Pisa, 56126, Italy; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa.
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19
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Marchi D, Harper C, Chirchir H, Ruff C. Relative fibular strength and locomotor behavior in KNM-WT 15000 and OH 35. J Hum Evol 2019; 131:48-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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20
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Cosman MN, Britz HM, Rolian C. Selection for longer limbs in mice increases bone stiffness and brittleness, but does not alter bending strength. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.203125. [PMID: 31043455 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.203125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The ability of a bone to withstand loads depends on its structural and material properties. These tend to differ among species with different modes of locomotion, reflecting their unique loading patterns. The evolution of derived limb morphologies, such as the long limbs associated with jumping, may compromise overall bone strength. We evaluated bone mechanical properties in the Longshanks mouse, which was selectively bred for increased tibia length relative to body mass. We combined analyses of 3D shape and cross-sectional geometry of the tibia, with mechanical testing and bone composition assays, to compare bone strength, elastic properties and mineral composition in Longshanks mice and randomly bred controls. Our data show that, despite being more slender, cortical geometry and predicted bending strength of the Longshanks tibia were similar to controls. In whole bone bending tests, measures of bone bending strength were similar across groups; however, Longshanks tibiae were significantly more rigid, more brittle, and required less than half the energy to fracture. Tissue-level elastic properties were also altered in Longshanks mice, but the bones did not differ from the control in water content, ash content or density. These results indicate that while Longshanks bones are as strong as control tibiae, selection for increased tibia length has altered its elastic properties, possibly through changes in organic bony matrix composition. We conclude that selection for certain limb morphologies, and/or selection for rapid skeletal growth, can lead to tissue-level changes that can increase the risk of skeletal fracture, which in turn may favor the correlated evolution of compensatory mechanisms to mitigate increased fracture risk, such as delayed skeletal maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda N Cosman
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 101 West Hall 1085 S. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Hayley M Britz
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cumming School or Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Campbell Rolian
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada .,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
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21
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Dunphy-Lelii S, Mitani JC. Wild Chimpanzees Show a Decrease in Pant Grunting over Their First 6 Years of Life. Folia Primatol (Basel) 2019; 90:77-88. [PMID: 30814479 PMCID: PMC6504967 DOI: 10.1159/000495108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Data from a large cross-sectional sample of wild chimpanzee mother-infant dyads yield evidence that young chimpanzees' pant grunting unfolds nonlinearly over the early developmental period. Though infants begin pant grunting early, and mothers' rates did not decrease, infant pant grunting declined as infants aged through infancy. Mother-infant dyadic pant grunting discordance therefore increased over infancy, with some discordance observed at even the earliest ages. In half of 90 observed instances involving infants ranging in age from 2 weeks to 69 months, only one member of the mother-infant dyad pant grunted; infants' pant grunting was not influenced by their mother's age, their position on their mother's body at the time of the greeting, or the dominance status of the male greeted. Male infants were more likely to pant grunt than female infants. We discuss the developmental trend in the context of infants' increasing independence, changing social motivations, and male-dominated social hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John C Mitani
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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22
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Boulinguez‐Ambroise G, Zablocki‐Thomas P, Aujard F, Herrel A, Pouydebat E. Ontogeny of food grasping in mouse lemurs: behavior, morphology and performance. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - F. Aujard
- UMR 7179‐ CNRS, National Museum of Natural History Paris France
| | - A. Herrel
- UMR 7179‐ CNRS, National Museum of Natural History Paris France
| | - E. Pouydebat
- UMR 7179‐ CNRS, National Museum of Natural History Paris France
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23
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Young JW, Jankord K, Saunders MM, Smith TD. Getting into Shape: Limb Bone Strength in Perinatal Lemur catta and Propithecus coquereli. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 303:250-264. [PMID: 30548126 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Functional studies of skeletal anatomy are predicated on the fundamental assumption that form will follow function. For instance, previous studies have shown that the femora of specialized leaping primates are more robust than those of more generalized primate quadrupeds. Are such differences solely a plastic response to differential loading patterns during postnatal life, or might they also reflect more canalized developmental mechanisms present at birth? Here, we show that perinatal Lemur catta, an arboreal/terrestrial quadruped, have less robust femora than perinatal Propithecus coquereli, a closely related species specialized for vertical clinging and leaping (a highly unusual locomotor mode in which the hindlimbs are used to launch the animal between vertical tree trunks). These results suggest that functional differences in long bone cross-sectional dimensions are manifest at birth, belying simple interpretations of adult postcranial form as a direct record of loading patterns during postnatal life. Despite these significant differences in bone robusticity, we find that hindlimb bone mineralization, material properties, and measures of whole-bone strength generally overlap in perinatal L. catta and P. coquereli, indicating little differentiation in postcranial maturity at birth despite known differences in the pace of craniodental development between the species. In a broader perspective, our results likely reflect evolution acting during prenatal ontogeny. Even though primates are notable for relatively prolonged gestation and postnatal parental care, neonates are not buffered from selection, perhaps especially in the unpredictable and volatile environment of Madagascar. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Anat Rec, 303:250-264, 2020. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio, 44272
| | - Kathryn Jankord
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057
| | - Marnie M Saunders
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 44325
| | - Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057.,Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
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24
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Lague MR, Chirchir H, Green DJ, Mbua E, Harris JWK, Braun DR, Griffin NL, Richmond BG. Cross-sectional properties of the humeral diaphysis of Paranthropus boisei: Implications for upper limb function. J Hum Evol 2018; 126:51-70. [PMID: 30583844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A ∼1.52 Ma adult upper limb skeleton of Paranthropus boisei (KNM-ER 47000) recovered from the Koobi Fora Formation, Kenya (FwJj14E, Area 1A) includes most of the distal half of a right humerus (designated KNM-ER 47000B). Natural transverse fractures through the diaphysis of KNM-ER 470000B provide unobstructed views of cortical bone at two sections typically used for analyzing cross-sectional properties of hominids (i.e., 35% and 50% of humerus length from the distal end). Here we assess cross-sectional properties of KNM-ER 47000B and two other P. boisei humeri (OH 80-10, KNM-ER 739). Cross-sectional properties for P. boisei associated with bending/torsional strength (section moduli) and relative cortical thickness (%CA; percent cortical area) are compared to those reported for nonhuman hominids, AL 288-1 (Australopithecus afarensis), and multiple species of fossil and modern Homo. Polar section moduli (Zp) are assessed relative to a mechanically relevant measure of body size (i.e., the product of mass [M] and humerus length [HL]). At both diaphyseal sections, P. boisei exhibits %CA that is high among extant hominids (both human and nonhuman) and similar to that observed among specimens of Pleistocene Homo. High values for Zp relative to size (M × HL) indicate that P. boisei had humeral bending strength greater than that of modern humans and Neanderthals and similar to that of great apes, A. afarensis, and Homo habilis. Such high humeral strength is consistent with other skeletal features of P. boisei (reviewed here) that suggest routine use of powerful upper limbs for arboreal climbing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Lague
- School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205, USA.
| | - Habiba Chirchir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, USA; Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, USA
| | - David J Green
- Department of Anatomy, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, USA; Department of Anatomy, Midwestern University, USA
| | - Emma Mbua
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Kenya University, Kenya
| | | | - David R Braun
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, USA; Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
| | - Nicole L Griffin
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, USA
| | - Brian G Richmond
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany; Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, USA
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25
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Cowgill LW, Johnston RA. Biomechanical implications of the onset of walking. J Hum Evol 2018; 122:133-145. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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Tsegai ZJ, Skinner MM, Pahr DH, Hublin JJ, Kivell TL. Ontogeny and variability of trabecular bone in the chimpanzee humerus, femur and tibia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:713-736. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zewdi J. Tsegai
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Matthew M. Skinner
- Skeletal Biology Research Center; School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent; Canterbury United Kingdom
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Dieter H. Pahr
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics; Vienna University of Technology; Wien Austria
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Tracy L. Kivell
- Skeletal Biology Research Center; School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent; Canterbury United Kingdom
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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27
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Canington SL, Sylvester AD, Burgess ML, Junno J, Ruff CB. Long bone diaphyseal shape follows different ontogenetic trajectories in captive and wild gorillas. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:366-376. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L. Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland
| | - Adam D. Sylvester
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland
| | - M. Loring Burgess
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland
| | | | - Christopher B. Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland
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28
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Tsegai ZJ, Skinner MM, Pahr DH, Hublin J, Kivell TL. Systemic patterns of trabecular bone across the human and chimpanzee skeleton. J Anat 2018; 232:641-656. [PMID: 29344941 PMCID: PMC5835784 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspects of trabecular bone architecture are thought to reflect regional loading of the skeleton, and thus differ between primate taxa with different locomotor and postural modes. However, there are several systemic factors that affect bone structure that could contribute to, or be the primary factor determining, interspecific differences in bone structure. These systemic factors include differences in genetic regulation, sensitivity to loading, hormone levels, diet, and activity levels. Improved understanding of inter-/intraspecific variability, and variability across the skeleton of an individual, is required to interpret properly potential functional signals present within trabecular structure. Using a whole-region method of analysis, we investigated trabecular structure throughout the skeleton of humans and chimpanzees. Trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV), degree of anisotropy (DA) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) were quantified from high resolution micro-computed tomographic scans of the humeral and femoral head, third metacarpal and third metatarsal head, distal tibia, talus and first thoracic vertebra. We found that BV/TV is, in most anatomical sites, significantly higher in chimpanzees than in humans, suggesting a systemic difference in trabecular structure unrelated to local loading regime. Differences in BV/TV between the forelimb and hindlimb did not clearly reflect differences in locomotor loading in the study taxa. There were no clear systemic differences between the taxa in DA and, as such, this parameter might reflect function and relate to differences in joint loading. This systemic approach reveals both the pattern of variability across the skeleton and between taxa, and helps identify those features of trabecular structure that may relate to joint function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zewdi J. Tsegai
- Department of Human EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Matthew M. Skinner
- Department of Human EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Skeletal Biology Research CentreSchool of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Dieter H. Pahr
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural BiomechanicsVienna University of TechnologyViennaAustria
| | - Jean‐Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Tracy L. Kivell
- Department of Human EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Skeletal Biology Research CentreSchool of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
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Ruff CB. Functional morphology in the pages of the AJPA. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:688-704. [PMID: 29574828 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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30
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Larson SG. Nonhuman Primate Locomotion. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:705-725. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan G. Larson
- Department of Anatomical Sciences; Stony Brook University School of Medicine; Stony Brook New York 11794-8081
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31
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Ruff CB, Burgess ML, Junno J, Mudakikwa A, Zollikofer CPE, Ponce de León MS, McFarlin SC. Phylogenetic and environmental effects on limb bone structure in gorillas. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:353-372. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B. Ruff
- Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineCenter for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, 1830 E. Monument StBaltimore Maryland 21205
| | - M. Loring Burgess
- Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineCenter for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, 1830 E. Monument StBaltimore Maryland 21205
| | | | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and ConservationRwanda Development BoardKigali Rwanda
| | | | | | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashington DC
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32
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Burgess ML, McFarlin SC, Mudakikwa A, Cranfield MR, Ruff CB. Body mass estimation in hominoids: Age and locomotor effects. J Hum Evol 2018; 115:36-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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33
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Morimoto N, Nakatsukasa M, Ponce de León MS, Zollikofer CPE. Femoral ontogeny in humans and great apes and its implications for their last common ancestor. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1930. [PMID: 29386644 PMCID: PMC5792642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20410-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inferring the morphology of the last common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas is a matter of ongoing debate. Recent findings and reassessment of fossil hominins leads to the hypothesis that the last common ancestor was not extant African ape-like. However, an African great-ape-like ancestor with knuckle walking features still remains plausible and the most parsimonious scenario. Here we address this question via an evolutionary developmental approach, comparing taxon-specific patterns of shape change of the femoral diaphysis from birth to adulthood in great apes, humans, and macaques. While chimpanzees and gorillas exhibit similar locomotor behaviors, our data provide evidence for distinct ontogenetic trajectories, indicating independent evolutionary histories of femoral ontogeny. Our data further indicate that anthropoid primates share a basic pattern of femoral diaphyseal ontogeny that reflects shared developmental constraints. Humans escaped from these constraints via differential elongation of femur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Morimoto
- Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Masato Nakatsukasa
- Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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34
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Young JW, Shapiro LJ. Developments in development: What have we learned from primate locomotor ontogeny? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165 Suppl 65:37-71. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W. Young
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyNortheast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)Rootstown Ohio, 44272
| | - Liza J. Shapiro
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of TexasAustin Texas, 78712
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35
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Patel BA, Organ JM, Jashashvili T, Bui SH, Dunsworth HM. Ontogeny of hallucal metatarsal rigidity and shape in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). J Anat 2018; 232:39-53. [PMID: 29098692 PMCID: PMC5735049 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Life history variables including the timing of locomotor independence, along with changes in preferred locomotor behaviors and substrate use during development, influence how primates use their feet throughout ontogeny. Changes in foot function during development, in particular the nature of how the hallux is used in grasping, can lead to different structural changes in foot bones. To test this hypothesis, metatarsal midshaft rigidity [estimated from the polar second moment of area (J) scaled to bone length] and cross-sectional shape (calculated from the ratio of maximum and minimum second moments of area, Imax /Imin ) were examined in a cross-sectional ontogenetic sample of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; n = 73) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes; n = 79). Results show the hallucal metatarsal (Mt1) is relatively more rigid (with higher scaled J-values) in younger chimpanzees and macaques, with significant decreases in relative rigidity in both taxa until the age of achieving locomotor independence. Within each age group, Mt1 rigidity is always significantly higher in chimpanzees than macaques. When compared with the lateral metatarsals (Mt2-5), the Mt1 is relatively more rigid in both taxa and across all ages; however, this difference is significantly greater in chimpanzees. Length and J scale with negative allometry in all metatarsals and in both species (except the Mt2 of chimpanzees, which scales with positive allometry). Only in macaques does Mt1 midshaft shape significantly change across ontogeny, with older individuals having more elliptical cross-sections. Different patterns of development in metatarsal diaphyseal rigidity and shape likely reflect the different ways in which the foot, and in particular the hallux, functions across ontogeny in apes and monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biren A. Patel
- Department of Integrative Anatomical SciencesKeck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Human and Evolutionary Biology SectionDepartment of Biological SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Jason M. Organ
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisINUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringIndiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolisINUSA
| | - Tea Jashashvili
- Molecular Imaging CenterDepartment of RadiologyKeck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Geology and PaleontologyGeorgian National MuseumTbilisiGeorgia
| | - Stephanie H. Bui
- Human and Evolutionary Biology SectionDepartment of Biological SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Holly M. Dunsworth
- Department of Sociology and AnthropologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
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36
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Macintosh AA, Pinhasi R, Stock JT. Prehistoric women's manual labor exceeded that of athletes through the first 5500 years of farming in Central Europe. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:eaao3893. [PMID: 29209662 PMCID: PMC5710185 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao3893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The intensification of agriculture is often associated with declining mobility and bone strength through time, although women often exhibit less pronounced trends than men. For example, previous studies of prehistoric Central European agriculturalists (~5300 calibrated years BC to 850 AD) demonstrated a significant reduction in tibial rigidity among men, whereas women were characterized by low tibial rigidity, little temporal change, and high variability. Because of the potential for sex-specific skeletal responses to mechanical loading and a lack of modern comparative data, women's activity in prehistory remains difficult to interpret. This study compares humeral and tibial cross-sectional rigidity, shape, and interlimb loading among prehistoric Central European women agriculturalists and living European women of known behavior (athletes and controls). Prehistoric female tibial rigidity at all time periods was highly variable, but differed little from living sedentary women on average, and was significantly lower than that of living runners and football players. However, humeral rigidity exceeded that of living athletes for the first ~5500 years of farming, with loading intensity biased heavily toward the upper limb. Interlimb strength proportions among Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age women were most similar to those of living semi-elite rowers. These results suggest that, in contrast to men, rigorous manual labor was a more important component of prehistoric women's behavior than was terrestrial mobility through thousands of years of European agriculture, at levels far exceeding those of modern women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison A. Macintosh
- PAVE (Phenotypic Adaptability, Variation and Evolution) Research Group, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jay T. Stock
- PAVE (Phenotypic Adaptability, Variation and Evolution) Research Group, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
- Department of Anthropology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
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37
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Ruff CB, Burgess ML, Ketcham RA, Kappelman J. Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy"). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166095. [PMID: 27902687 PMCID: PMC5130205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While there is broad agreement that early hominins practiced some form of terrestrial bipedality, there is also evidence that arboreal behavior remained a part of the locomotor repertoire in some taxa, and that bipedal locomotion may not have been identical to that of modern humans. It has been difficult to evaluate such evidence, however, because of the possibility that early hominins retained primitive traits (such as relatively long upper limbs) of little contemporaneous adaptive significance. Here we examine bone structural properties of the femur and humerus in the Australopithecus afarensis A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy", 3.2 Myr) that are known to be developmentally plastic, and compare them with other early hominins, modern humans, and modern chimpanzees. Cross-sectional images were obtained from micro-CT scans of the original specimens and used to derive section properties of the diaphyses, as well as superior and inferior cortical thicknesses of the femoral neck. A.L. 288-1 shows femoral/humeral diaphyseal strength proportions that are intermediate between those of modern humans and chimpanzees, indicating more mechanical loading of the forelimb than in modern humans, and by implication, a significant arboreal locomotor component. Several features of the proximal femur in A.L. 288-1 and other australopiths, including relative femoral head size, distribution of cortical bone in the femoral neck, and cross-sectional shape of the proximal shaft, support the inference of a bipedal gait pattern that differed slightly from that of modern humans, involving more lateral deviation of the body center of mass over the support limb, which would have entailed increased cost of terrestrial locomotion. There is also evidence consistent with increased muscular strength among australopiths in both the forelimb and hind limb, possibly reflecting metabolic trade-offs between muscle and brain development during hominin evolution. Together these findings imply significant differences in both locomotor behavior and ecology between australopiths and later Homo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B. Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - M. Loring Burgess
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Richard A. Ketcham
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - John Kappelman
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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38
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Burgess ML, Schmitt D, Zeininger A, McFarlin SC, Zihlman AL, Polk JD, Ruff CB. Ontogenetic scaling of fore limb and hind limb joint posture and limb bone cross-sectional geometry in vervets and baboons. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 161:72-83. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Loring Burgess
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore MD
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC
| | - Angel Zeininger
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC
| | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology; Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University; Washington DC
| | | | - John D. Polk
- Department of Anthropology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana IL
| | - Christopher B. Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore MD
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