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Cited by 112Primate Behavior and EcologyComparative Animal Anatomy StudiesMorphological variations and asymmetry

Investigating the form-function interface in African apes: Relationships between principal moments of area and positional behaviors in femoral and humeral diaphyses

Carlson, Kristian J.·2005·American Journal of Physical Anthropology
DOI 10.1002/ajpa.20124
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Abstract

Investigations of cross-sectional geometry in nonhuman primate limb bones typically attribute shape ratios to qualitative behavioral characterizations, e.g., leaper, slow climber, brachiator, or terrestrial vs. arboreal quadruped. Quantitative positional behavioral data, however, have yet to be used in a rigorous evaluation of such shape-behavior connections. African apes represent an ideal population for such an investigation because their relatedness minimizes phylogenetic inertia, they exhibit diverse behavioral repertoires, and their locomotor behaviors are known from multiple studies. Cross-sectional data from femoral and humeral diaphyses were collected for 222 wild-shot specimens, encompassing Pan paniscus and all commonly recognized African ape subspecies. Digital representations of diaphyseal cross sections were acquired via computed tomography at three locations per diaphysis. Locomotor behaviors were pooled broadly into arboreal and terrestrial categories, then partitioned into quadrupedal walking, quadrumanous climbing, scrambling, and suspensory categories. Sex-specific taxonomic differences in ratios of principal moments of area (PMA) were statistically significant more often in the femoral diaphysis than the humeral diaphysis. While it appears difficult to relate a measure of shape (e.g., PMA ratio) to individual locomotor modes, general locomotor differences (e.g., percentage arboreal vs. terrestrial locomotion) are discerned more easily. As percentage of arboreal locomotion for a group increases, average cross sections appear more circular. Associations between PMA ratio and specific locomotor behaviors are less straightforward. Individual behaviors that integrate eccentric limb positions (e.g., arboreal scrambling) may not engender more circular cross sections than behaviors that incorporate repetitive sagittal movements (e.g., quadrupedal walking) in a straightforward manner.

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  • The ratio of Imax over Imin provides a reliable measure for the ellipticity of the transverse bone shaft.

    “The ratio of Imax over Imin provides a reliable measure for the ellipticity of the transverse bone shaft and has been considered as such in biomechanical explorations12,60,66,67.”

    From Wing bone geometry reveals active flight in Archaeopteryx (2018) · cites this paper as [66]

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Authors
Carlson, K. J.
Affiliations
Stony Brook University (US)
Corresponding author
Carlson, Kristian J.
ORCID
Carlson, Kristian J.
Venue
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2005
Volume
127
Issue
3
Pages
312-334
ISSN
  • 0002-9483 (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-8644
DOI
10.1002/ajpa.20124
OpenAlex
W2036741824
Cited by
112
References
159
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 3
FWCI
5.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm, 3895 d)
Locations
  • American Journal of Physical Anthropology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Geometry and Topology › Morphological variations and asymmetry
Keywords
African apes, bonobos, femoral diaphysis, humeral diaphysis, locomotor behavior, arboreal locomotion, quadrupedal walking, climbing, sex differences, form-function relationship
MeSH terms
Africa, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Female, Femur, Humerus, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Locomotion, Male, Sex Factors, Species Specificity, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Hominidae, Diaphyses

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