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Gérard C, Bardo A, Guéry JP, Pouydebat E, Narat V, Simmen B. Influence of food physical properties and environmental context on manipulative behaviors highlighted by new methodological approaches in zoo-housed bonobos (Pan paniscus). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23624. [PMID: 38546028 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23624] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Research on manipulative abilities in nonhuman primates, in the context of hominid evolution, has mostly focused on manual/pedal postures considered as static behaviors. While these behavioral repertoires highlighted the range of manipulative abilities in many species, manipulation is a dynamic process that mostly involves successive types of grips before reaching its goal. The present study aims to investigate the use of manual/pedal postures in zoo-housed bonobos in diverse dynamic food processing by using an innovative approach: the optimal matching analysis that compares sequences (i.e., succession of grasping postures) with each other. To characterize the manipulative techniques spontaneously employed by bonobos, we performed this sequential analysis of manual/pedal postures during 766 complete feeding sequences of 17 individuals. We analyzed the effectiveness with a score defined by a partial proxy of food intake (i.e., the number of mouthfuls) linked to a handling score measuring both the diversity and changes of manual postures during each sequence. We identified four techniques, used differently depending on the physical substrate on which the individual performed food manipulation and the food physical properties. Our results showed that manipulative techniques were more complex (i.e., higher handling score) for large foods and on substrates with lower stability. But the effectiveness score was not significantly lower for these items since manipulative complexity seemed to be compensated by a greater number of mouthfuls. It appeared that the techniques employed involved a trade-off between manipulative complexity and the amount of food ingested. This study allowed us to test and validate innovative analysis methods that are applicable to diverse ethological studies involving sequential events. Our results bring new data for a better understanding of the evolution of manual abilities in primates in association with different ecological contexts and both terrestrial and arboreal substrates and suggest that social and individual influences need to be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gérard
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Ameline Bardo
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Victor Narat
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Simmen
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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Young JW, Chadwell BA, O'Neill TP, Pastor F, Marchi D, Hartstone-Rose A. Quantitative assessment of grasping strength in platyrrhine monkeys. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24900. [PMID: 38269651 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24900] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite the longstanding importance of grasping adaptations in theories of primate evolution, quantitative data on primate grasping strength remain rare. We present the results of two studies testing the prediction that callitrichines-given their comparative retreat from a small-branch environment and specialization for movement and foraging on tree trunks and large boughs-should be characterized by weaker grasping forces and underdeveloped digital flexor muscles relative to other platyrrhines. METHODS First, we directly measured manual grasping strength in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), using a custom-constructed force transducer. Second, we reanalyzed existing datasets on the fiber architecture of forearm and leg muscles in 12 platyrrhine species, quantifying digital flexor muscle physiological cross-sectional area (i.e., PCSA, a morphometric proxy of muscle strength) relative to the summed PCSA across all forearm or leg muscles. RESULTS Callithrix was characterized by lower mean and maximum grasping forces than Saimiri, and callitrichines as a clade were found to have relatively underdeveloped manual digital flexor muscle PCSA. However, relative pedal digital flexor PCSA did not significantly differ between callitrichines and other platyrrhines. CONCLUSIONS We found partial support for the hypothesis that variation in predominant substrate usage explains variation in empirical measurements of and morphological correlates of grasping strength in platyrrhines. Future research should extend the work presented here by (1) collecting morphological and empirical metrics of grasping strength in additional primate taxa and (2) extending performance testing to include empirical measures of primate pedal grasping forces as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio, USA
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Brad A Chadwell
- Department of Anatomy, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Meridian, Idaho, USA
| | - Timothy P O'Neill
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Francisco Pastor
- Departamento de Anatomía y Radiología, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Adam Hartstone-Rose
- College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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3
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Druelle F, Ghislieri M, Molina-Vila P, Rimbaud B, Agostini V, Berillon G. A comparative study of muscle activity and synergies during walking in baboons and humans. J Hum Evol 2024; 189:103513. [PMID: 38401300 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103513] [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: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Bipedal locomotion was a major functional change during hominin evolution, yet, our understanding of this gradual and complex process remains strongly debated. Based on fossil discoveries, it is possible to address functional hypotheses related to bipedal anatomy, however, motor control remains intangible with this approach. Using comparative models which occasionally walk bipedally has proved to be relevant to shed light on the evolutionary transition toward habitual bipedalism. Here, we explored the organization of the neuromuscular control using surface electromyography (sEMG) for six extrinsic muscles in two baboon individuals when they walk quadrupedally and bipedally on the ground. We compared their muscular coordination to five human subjects walking bipedally. We extracted muscle synergies from the sEMG envelopes using the non-negative matrix factorization algorithm which allows decomposing the sEMG data in the linear combination of two non-negative matrixes (muscle weight vectors and activation coefficients). We calculated different parameters to estimate the complexity of the sEMG signals, the duration of the activation of the synergies, and the generalizability of the muscle synergy model across species and walking conditions. We found that the motor control strategy is less complex in baboons when they walk bipedally, with an increased muscular activity and muscle coactivation. When comparing the baboon bipedal and quadrupedal pattern of walking to human bipedalism, we observed that the baboon bipedal pattern of walking is closer to human bipedalism for both baboons, although substantial differences remain. Overall, our findings show that the muscle activity of a non-adapted biped effectively fulfills the basic mechanical requirements (propulsion and balance) for walking bipedally, but substantial refinements are possible to optimize the efficiency of bipedal locomotion. In the evolutionary context of an expanding reliance on bipedal behaviors, even minor morphological alterations, reducing muscle coactivation, could have faced strong selection pressure, ultimately driving bipedal evolution in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris, France; Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France; Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken (Building D), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Marco Ghislieri
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy; PoliTo(BIO)Med Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Pablo Molina-Vila
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
| | - Brigitte Rimbaud
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
| | - Valentina Agostini
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy; PoliTo(BIO)Med Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris, France; Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
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4
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de La Salles AYF, de Andrade JK, de Souza JG, Freitas KDB, Carreiro ADN, Veloso EVL, Rocha EF, Klem MAP, Mendonça FTM, de Menezes DJA. Anatomy applied to image diagnosis of the hind limb in the black-striped capuchin (Sapajus libidinosus Spix, 1823). Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23416. [PMID: 35848101 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23416] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The knowledge of anatomy and imaging exams emerges as an important tool in the study of evolutionary processes of a species, in the elaboration of diagnosis, and the successful choice of the appropriate clinical and surgical procedures. Therefore, this study aims to describe the osteology of the hind limb of Sapajus libidinosus by means of gross, radiographic, and tomographic images. Four cadavers were used in the macroscopic analysis and five animals for the imaging exams, of which four were eventually euthanized and added to the macroscopic study. For imaging exams, they were kept anesthetized. All bones of the hind limb were documented, their structures were described, and compared with data in the literature from human and nonhuman primates. We have performed Student's t test for independent samples. There was no statistical difference between the sexes regarding the length of the hind limb bones. The coxal bone was largely well described using imaging methods. A small penile bone was present at the tip of the penis and it could be identified by all analysis methods. The femur, as well as the tibia and fibula, were not well portrayed in their proximal and distal epiphyses by radiography (Rx). However, they were well identified on tomography. No third trochanter was observed in the femur and the patella had a triangular shape. All the structures described by gross anatomy of the tarsus and metatarsus could be identified by Rx and tomography. More subtle structures, such as the popliteal notch on the tibia, and the gluteal tuberosity pectineal line and facies aspera on the coxal bone, were not identified by medical imaging. S. libidinosus presented anatomical characteristics that were similar to those of larger New World and Old World monkeys, including man. This suggests it's value as an experimental model for studies in recent primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Y F de La Salles
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil
| | | | - Joyce G de Souza
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Kelvis de B Freitas
- Postgraduate Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Artur da N Carreiro
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Edson V L Veloso
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Ediane F Rocha
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Marcius A P Klem
- Institute of Veterinary Radiology, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Fábio T M Mendonça
- Veterinary Health Center, Universidade Potiguar, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Danilo J A de Menezes
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Center for Rural Health and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil.,Department of Morphology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
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Druelle F, Supiot A, Meulemans S, Schouteden N, Molina-Vila P, Rimbaud B, Aerts P, Berillon G. The quadrupedal walking gait of the olive baboon, Papio anubis: an exploratory study integrating kinematics and EMG. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271005. [PMID: 34292320 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Primates exhibit unusual quadrupedal features (e.g. diagonal gaits, compliant walk) compared with other quadrupedal mammals. Their origin and diversification in arboreal habitats have certainly shaped the mechanics of their walking pattern to meet the functional requirements necessary for balance control in unstable and discontinuous environments. In turn, the requirements for mechanical stability probably conflict with mechanical energy exchange. In order to investigate these aspects, we conducted an integrative study on quadrupedal walking in the olive baboon (Papio anubis) at the Primatology station of the CNRS in France. Based on kinematics, we describe the centre of mass mechanics of the normal quadrupedal gait performed on the ground, as well as in different gait and substrate contexts. In addition, we studied the muscular activity of six hindlimb muscles using non-invasive surface probes. Our results show that baboons can rely on an inverted pendulum-like exchange of energy (57% on average, with a maximal observed value of 84%) when walking slowly (<0.9 m s-1) with a tight limb phase (∼55%) on the ground using diagonal sequence gaits. In this context, the muscular activity is similar to that of other quadrupedal mammals, thus reflecting the primary functions of the muscles for limb movement and support. In contrast, walking on a suspended branch generates kinematic and muscular adjustments to ensure better control and to maintain stability. Finally, walking using the lateral sequence gait increases muscular effort and reduces the potential for high recovery rates. The present exploratory study thus supports the assumption that primates are able to make use of an inverted pendulum mechanism on the ground using a diagonal walking gait, yet a different footfall pattern and substrate appear to influence muscular effort and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, 75116 Paris, France.,Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France.,Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anthony Supiot
- Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Robert Debré University Hospital, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Silke Meulemans
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Niels Schouteden
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.,Monde Sauvage Safari Parc, 4920 Aywaille, Belgium
| | - Pablo Molina-Vila
- Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | - Brigitte Rimbaud
- Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | - Peter Aerts
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, University of Ghent, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, 75116 Paris, France.,Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
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6
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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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Boulinguez-Ambroise G, Herrel A, Berillon G, Young JW, Cornette R, Meguerditchian A, Cazeau C, Bellaiche L, Pouydebat E. Increased performance in juvenile baboons is consistent with ontogenetic changes in morphology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:546-558. [PMID: 33483958 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In many primates, the greater proportion of climbing and suspensory behaviors in the juvenile repertoire likely necessitates good grasping capacities. Here, we tested whether very young individuals show near-maximal levels of grasping strength, and whether such an early onset of grasping performance could be explained by ontogenetic variability in the morphology of the limbs in baboons. MATERIAL AND METHODS We quantified a performance trait, hand pull strength, at the juvenile and adult stages in a cross-sectional sample of 15 olive baboons (Papio anubis). We also quantified bone dimensions (i.e., lengths, widths, and heights) of the fore- (n = 25) and hind limb (n = 21) elements based on osteological collections covering the whole development of olive baboons. RESULTS One-year old individuals demonstrated very high pull strengths (i.e., 200% of the adult performance, relative to body mass), that are consistent with relatively wider phalanges and digit joints in juveniles. The mature proportions and shape of the forelimb elements appeared only at full adulthood (i.e., ≥4.5 years), whereas the mature hind limb proportions and shape were observed much earlier during development. DISCUSSION These changes in limb performance and morphology across ontogeny may be explained with regard to behavioral transitions that olive baboons experience during their development. Our findings highlight the effect of infant clinging to mother, an often-neglected feature when discussing the origins of grasping in primates. The differences in growth patterns, we found between the forelimb and the hind limb further illustrate their different functional roles, having likely evolved under different ecological pressures (manipulation and locomotion, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Boulinguez-Ambroise
- Mecanismes Adaptatifs et Évolution UMR7179, CNRS-National Museum of Natural History, Paris Cedex 5, France.,Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive UMR7290, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.,Station de Primatologie CNRS, Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Mecanismes Adaptatifs et Évolution UMR7179, CNRS-National Museum of Natural History, Paris Cedex 5, France
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Station de Primatologie CNRS, Rousset-sur-Arc, France.,Département Homme et Environnement, Musée de L'Homme, UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN, Place du Trocadéro, Paris, France
| | - Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Origine, Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité, UMR 7205, CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive UMR7290, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.,Station de Primatologie CNRS, Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | | | | | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- Mecanismes Adaptatifs et Évolution UMR7179, CNRS-National Museum of Natural History, Paris Cedex 5, France
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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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Boulinguez-Ambroise G, Herrel A, Pouydebat E. Ontogeny of locomotion in mouse lemurs: Implications for primate evolution. J Hum Evol 2020; 142:102732. [PMID: 32172006 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The environment of juvenile primates is very challenging. They have to forage and move on the same substrates as adults do and escape the same predators, despite their immature state. In this study, we explore the developmental strategies that may provide effective locomotor abilities early in life. This could provide new insights into the selective pressures acting on juvenile primates and into evolution of primate locomotion. We conducted an ontogenetic study of 36 arboreal gray mouse lemurs from birth to adulthood (6 months of age). The investigated parameters were, for both limbs, (1) grasping behavior during locomotion (i.e., grip postures), (2) grasping performance (i.e., pull strength), and (3) motor coordination (i.e., rotarod test). Our results show that 8-day-old babies are able to climb substrates of various slopes and diameters outside of their nest. Although juveniles cannot successfully complete a motor coordination test before 30 days of age, young individuals display relative pull strengths that are very high or even on par with adults, guaranteeing stability on narrow substrates. These powerful grasps highlight the importance of the grasping function for these juveniles that are not carried and move independently on arboreal substrates shortly after their first week of life. Moreover, the pedal grasping provides a secure grasp on all substrates across ontogeny; however, manual secure grasps decrease during development, being highly used only shortly after birth on vertical and narrow substrates. These results first suggest different functional roles of the hands and feet, with the hind limbs ensuring body balance on the substrates, freeing the upper limbs for manipulation. They further show vertical and narrow branches to be especially challenging, requiring strong grasps, which suggests that they may drive the evolution of strong grasping abilities in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179-CNRS, National Museum of Natural History, 75321, Paris, Cedex 5, France
| | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- UMR 7179-CNRS, National Museum of Natural History, 75321, Paris, Cedex 5, France
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10
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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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Young JW, Hyde A, German R. Ontogeny of intrinsic digit proportions in laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus): a test of the grasping theory of primate hand and foot growth. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH, USA
- Musculoskeletal Biology Research Focus Area, NEOMED, Rootstown, OH, USA
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Alexander Hyde
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH, USA
| | - Rebecca German
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH, USA
- Musculoskeletal Biology Research Focus Area, NEOMED, Rootstown, OH, USA
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
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12
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Fox DM, Mundinano IC, Bourne JA. Prehensile kinematics of the marmoset monkey: Implications for the evolution of visually-guided behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1495-1507. [PMID: 30680739 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Throughout the primate lineage, there is a wide diversity of prehensile capacity that is thought to stem from individual species foraging patterns. While many studies have explored primates with precise hand grips, such as higher apes, few have considered primates that lack opposition movements. The New World marmoset monkey occupies an intriguing niche, displaying adept control of their hand movements yet their absence of opposable digits results in relatively imprecise grasping actions when compared with those observed in Old World monkeys, apes, and humans. The marmoset monkey offers a unique composition of ancestral primate corticospinal organization combined with skilled hand use to explore the evolution and development of visually-guided actions. In this study, four adult marmosets were trained to perform a series of visually-guided tasks, designed to assess their control over locating and retrieving objects of differing dimensions. Two of these animals received a neonatal lesion of the inferior pulvinar (unilateral), a thalamic nucleus previously demonstrated to be involved in visuomotor development. The kinematics of their reaching and grasping patterns were recorded for offline analysis. Predictive modeling revealed that maximum grip aperture, time to reach peak velocity and hand use were reliable predictors of distinguishing between cohorts. A consistent feature observed across all tasks was that they do not precisely scale their grip according to the dimensions of the target object which may be attributed to their lack of independent digit control. Therefore, the marmoset monkey represents a previously understudied position in the evolution of primate reach and grasp behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan M Fox
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Inaki-Carril Mundinano
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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13
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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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14
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Druelle F, Schoonaert K, Aerts P, Nauwelaerts S, Stevens JMG, D'Août K. Segmental morphometrics of bonobos (Pan paniscus): are they really different from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)? J Anat 2018; 233:843-853. [PMID: 30294787 PMCID: PMC6231171 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The inertial properties of body segments reflect performance and locomotor habits in primates. While Pan paniscus is generally described as more gracile, lighter in body mass, and as having relatively longer and heavier hindlimbs than Pan troglodytes, both species exhibit very similar patterns of (quadrupedal and bipedal) kinematics, but show slightly different locomotor repertoires. We used a geometric model to estimate the inertial properties for all body segments (i.e. head, trunk, upper and lower arms, hand, thigh, shank and foot) using external length and diameter measurements of 12 anaesthetized bonobos (eight adults and four immatures). We also calculated whole limb inertial properties. When we compared absolute and relative segment morphometric and inertial variables between bonobos and chimpanzees, we found that adult bonobos are significantly lighter than adult chimpanzees. The bonobo is also shorter in head length, upper and lower arm lengths, and foot length, and is generally lighter in most absolute segment mass values (except head and hand). In contrast, the bonobo has a longer trunk. When scaled relative to body mass, most differences disappear between the two species. Only the longer trunk and the shorter head of the bonobo remain apparent, as well as the lighter thigh compared with the chimpanzee. We found similar values of natural pendular periods of the limbs in both species, despite differences in absolute limb lengths, masses, mass centres (for the hindlimb) and moments of inertia. While our data contradict the commonly accepted view that bonobos have relatively longer and heavier hindlimbs than chimpanzees, they are consistent with the observed similarities in the quadrupedal and bipedal kinematics between these species. The morphological differences between both species are more subtle than those previously described from postcranial osteological materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Laboratory for Functional MorphologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Kirsten Schoonaert
- Laboratory for Functional MorphologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
- Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and ConservationAntwerpBelgium
| | - Peter Aerts
- Laboratory for Functional MorphologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
- Department of Movement and Sports SciencesUniversity of GhentGentBelgium
| | - Sandra Nauwelaerts
- Laboratory for Functional MorphologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
- Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and ConservationAntwerpBelgium
| | - Jeroen M. G. Stevens
- Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and ConservationAntwerpBelgium
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic DiseaseUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Kristiaan D'Août
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
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15
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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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16
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Granatosky MC, Schmitt D, Hanna J. Comparison of spatiotemporal gait characteristics between vertical climbing and horizontal walking in primates. J Exp Biol 2018; 222:jeb.185702. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.185702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During quadrupedal walking, most primates utilize diagonal sequence diagonal couplet gaits, large limb excursions, and hindlimb-biased limb-loading. These gait characteristics are thought to be basal to the Order, but the selective pressure underlying these gait changes remains unknown. Some researchers have examined these characteristics during vertical climbing and propose that primate quadrupedal gait characteristics may have arisen due to the mechanical challenges of moving on vertical supports. Unfortunately, these studies are usually limited in scope and do not account for varying strategies based on body size or phylogeny. Here, we test the hypothesis that the spatiotemporal gait characteristics that are used during horizontal walking in primates are also present during vertical climbing irrespective of body size and phylogeny. We examined footfall patterns, diagonality, speed, and stride length in eight species of primates across a range of body masses. We found that during vertical climbing primates slow down, keep more limbs in contact with the substrate at any one time, and increase the frequency of lateral sequence gaits compared to horizontal walking. Taken together these characteristics are assumed to increase stability during locomotion. Phylogenetic relatedness and body size differences have little influence on locomotor patterns observed across species. These data reject the idea that the suite of spatiotemporal gait features observed in primates during horizontal walking are in some way evolutionarily linked to selective pressures associated with mechanical requirements of vertical climbing. These results also highlight the importance of behavioral flexibility for negotiating the challenges of locomotion in an arboreal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Granatosky
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NS, USA
| | - Jandy Hanna
- West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Lewisburg, WV, USA
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17
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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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18
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Druelle F, Young J, Berillon G. Behavioral implications of ontogenetic changes in intrinsic hand and foot proportions in olive baboons (Papio Anubis). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 165:65-76. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology; University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1; Antwerpen, B-2610 Belgium
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UPS 846, RD 56; Rousset-sur-Arc, 13790 France
| | - Jesse Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Northeast Ohio Medical University, NEOMED 4209 State Route 44; Rootstown Ohio 44272
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UPS 846, RD 56; Rousset-sur-Arc, 13790 France
- Département de Préhistoire; Musée de L'Homme, UMR 7194 CNRS-MNHN, Place du Trocadéro; Paris, 75116 France
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19
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Fabre AC, Marigó J, Granatosky MC, Schmitt D. Functional associations between support use and forelimb shape in strepsirrhines and their relevance to inferring locomotor behavior in early primates. J Hum Evol 2017. [PMID: 28622924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of primates is intimately linked to their initial invasion of an arboreal environment. However, moving and foraging in this milieu creates significant mechanical challenges related to the presence of substrates differing in their size and orientation. It is widely assumed that primates are behaviorally and anatomically adapted to movement on specific substrates, but few explicit tests of this relationship in an evolutionary context have been conducted. Without direct tests of form-function relationships in living primates it is impossible to reliably infer behavior in fossil taxa. In this study, we test a hypothesis of co-variation between forelimb morphology and the type of substrates used by strepsirrhines. If associations between anatomy and substrate use exist, these can then be applied to better understand limb anatomy of extinct primates. The co-variation between each forelimb long bone and the type of substrate used was studied in a phylogenetic context. Our results show that despite the presence of significant phylogenetic signal for each long bone of the forelimb, clear support use associations are present. A strong co-variation was found between the type of substrate used and the shape of the radius, with and without taking phylogeny into account, whereas co-variation was significant for the ulna only when taking phylogeny into account. Species that use a thin branch milieu show radii that are gracile and straight and have a distal articular shape that allows for a wide range of movements. In contrast, extant species that commonly use large supports show a relatively robust and curved radius with an increased surface area available for forearm and hand muscles in pronated posture. These results, especially for the radius, support the idea that strepsirrhine primates exhibit specific skeletal adaptations associated with the supports that they habitually move on. With these robust associations in hand it will be possible to explore the same variables in extinct early primates and primate relatives and thus improve the reliability of inferences concerning substrate use in early primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; UMR 7179, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Mécadev, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 55, 75231, Paris Cedex 5, France.
| | - Judit Marigó
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; UMR 7207 CR2P - C.N.R.S., M.N.H.N., U.P.M.C.-Paris 6, Département Histoire de la Terre, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75005, Paris, France; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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20
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Granatosky MC, Schmitt D. Forelimb and hind limb loading patterns during below branch quadrupedal locomotion in the two‐toed sloth. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. C. Granatosky
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - D. Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham NC USA
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