1
|
Costes P, Soppelsa J, Houssin C, Boulinguez‐Ambroise G, Pacou C, Gouat P, Cornette R, Pouydebat E. Effect of the habitat and tusks on trunk grasping techniques in African savannah elephants. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11317. [PMID: 38646004 PMCID: PMC11027014 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Among tetrapods, grasping is an essential function involved in many vital behaviours. The selective pressures that led to this function were widely investigated in species with prehensile hands and feet. Previous studies namely highlighted a strong effect of item properties but also of the species habitat on manual grasping behaviour. African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are known to display various prehensile abilities and use their trunk in a large diversity of habitats. Composed of muscles and without a rigid structure, the trunk is a muscular hydrostat with great freedom of movement. This multitasking organ is particularly recruited for grasping food items while foraging. Yet, the diet of African savannah elephants varies widely between groups living in different habitats. Moreover, they have tusks alongside the trunk which can assist in grasping behaviours, and their tusk morphologies are known to vary considerably between groups. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the food grasping techniques used by the trunk of two elephant groups that live in different habitats: an arid study site in Etosha National Park in Namibia, and an area with consistent water presence in Kruger National Park in South Africa. We characterised the tusks profiles and compared the grasping techniques and their frequencies of use for different foods. Our results show differences in food-grasping techniques between the two groups. These differences are related to the food item property and tusk profile discrepancies highlighted between the two groups. We suggest that habitat heterogeneity, particularly aridity gaps, may induce these differences. This may reveal an optimisation of grasping types depending on habitat, food size and accessibility, as well as tusk profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Costes
- Adaptive Mechanisms and Evolution (MECADEV)UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHNParisFrance
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, SU, EPHE, UAParisFrance
| | - Julie Soppelsa
- Adaptive Mechanisms and Evolution (MECADEV)UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHNParisFrance
| | - Céline Houssin
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, SU, EPHE, UAParisFrance
| | - Grégoire Boulinguez‐Ambroise
- Adaptive Mechanisms and Evolution (MECADEV)UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHNParisFrance
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Camille Pacou
- Adaptive Mechanisms and Evolution (MECADEV)UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHNParisFrance
| | - Patrick Gouat
- Laboratoire d'Éthologie Expérimentale et Comparée E.R. 4443Université Sorbonne Paris NordVilletaneuseFrance
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, SU, EPHE, UAParisFrance
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Boulinguez-Ambroise G, Dunham N, Phelps T, Mazonas T, Nguyen P, Bradley-Cronkwright M, Boyer DM, Yapuncich GS, Zeininger A, Schmitt D, Young JW. Jumping performance in tree squirrels: Insights into primate evolution. J Hum Evol 2023; 180:103386. [PMID: 37209637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Morphological traits suggesting powerful jumping abilities are characteristic of early crown primate fossils. Because tree squirrels lack certain 'primatelike' grasping features but frequently travel on the narrow terminal branches of trees, they make a viable extant model for an early stage of primate evolution. Here, we explore biomechanical determinants of jumping performance in the arboreal Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis, n = 3) as a greater understanding of the biomechanical strategies that squirrels use to modulate jumping performance could inform theories of selection for increased jumping ability during early primate evolution. We assessed vertical jumping performance by using instrumented force platforms upon which were mounted launching supports of various sizes, allowing us to test the influence of substrate diameter on jumping kinetics and performance. We used standard ergometric methods to quantify jumping parameters (e.g., takeoff velocity, total displacement, peak mechanical power) from force platform data during push-off. We found that tree squirrels display divergent mechanical strategies according to the type of substrate, prioritizing force production on flat ground versus center of mass displacement on narrower poles. As jumping represents a significant part of the locomotor behavior of most primates, we suggest that jumping from small arboreal substrates may have acted as a potential driver of the selection for elongated hindlimb segments in primates, allowing the center of mass to be accelerated over a longer distance-and thereby reducing the need for high substrate reaction forces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Boulinguez-Ambroise
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA.
| | - Noah Dunham
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 44109, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2080 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Taylor Phelps
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | - Thomas Mazonas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | - Peter Nguyen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| | | | - Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Gabriel S Yapuncich
- Medical Education Administration, Duke University School of Medicine, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, 27710, NC, USA
| | - Angel Zeininger
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, 27708, NC, USA
| | - Jesse W Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), 4209 State Road 44, Rootstown, 44272, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
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).
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Boettcher ML, Leonard KC, Dickinson E, Aujard F, Herrel A, Hartstone‐Rose A. The Forearm Musculature of the Gray Mouse Lemur (
Microcebus murinus
): An Ontogenetic Study. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:1354-1363. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marissa L. Boettcher
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina
| | - Kaitlyn C. Leonard
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina
| | - Edwin Dickinson
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina
| | | | | | - Adam Hartstone‐Rose
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pouydebat E, Bardo A. An interdisciplinary approach to the evolution of grasping and manipulation. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Département d’Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris, France
| | - Ameline Bardo
- Animal Postcranial Evolution Laboratory, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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
| |
Collapse
|