Phalangeal morphology of the Paromomyidae (?Primates, Plesiadapiformes): The evidence for gliding behavior reconsidered

Hamrick, Mark W.; Rosenman, Burt A.; Brush, Jason A.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199907)109:3<397::aid-ajpa8>3.0.co;2-9

Cited by 49 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…The phalangeal index has provided good distinction between terrestrial and arboreal mammals (Hamrick et al 1999;Lemelin 1999;Jungers et al 2005). It describes the combined length of the proximal and intermediate phalanx as a percentage of their respective metapodial element.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A general autopodial property of many arboreally adapted mammals is that their phalanges are long (Napier 1961;Taylor 1974;Jouffroy et al 1993;Preuschoft et al 1993;Lemelin 1999;Hildebrand 2001). Long phalanges are advantageous for grasping small supports such as branches (Napier 1961(Napier , 1993Preuschoft et al 1993) and are more suitable for climbing because they allow for a greater circumference of broad vertical supports (Cartmill 1985;Hamrick et al 1999). There is a notion that long phalangeal elements also relate to increased dexterity (Taylor 1974;Heffner and Masterton 1975), which is however contested (Iwaniuk et al 2001).…”

Section: Pcamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The phalangeal index has been successfully applied to distinguishing terrestrial from arboreal species in many instances (Napier 1993;Hamrick et al 1999;Lemelin 1999;Jungers et al 2005). In hystricognaths, it is useful to detect arboreality and cursoriality only.…”

Section: Phalangeal Indices and Digital Ray Proportionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Jouffroy et al (1993) showed that phylogenetic as well as functional information is present in the hand of primates, but suggested that phylogeny has a more prominent influence on hand anatomy. However, Hamrick et al (1999) and Lemelin (1999) showed that morphometric indices in autopodials reflect mostly locomotory function. Several important studies dealt with the biomechanical implications of hand proportions in primates and other mammals (Napier 1961;Cartmill 1985;Hildebrand 1985Hildebrand , 2001Preuschoft et al 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While there is much morphometric functional literature on intrinsic proportions of the hand of various mammal clades (Napier 1961;Etter 1974;Van Valkenburgh 1987;Lemelin 1999) pedal morphology has been studied mostly only in primates (Lessertisseur and Jouffroy 1973;Strasser 1992). Moreover, the morphometric relationship between hand and foot proportions has rarely been considered in a functional context (but see Hamrick et al 1999). Nevertheless, locomotory habits (e.g., arboreality or semi-aquaticity) can be differentially expressed in hand and foot anatomy due to their differing roles (Cartmill 1985;Hildebrand 2001) so that one focus of the study is to look at the interplay between hand and foot diversity in hystricognaths.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Autopodial skeletal diversity in hystricognath rodents: Functional and phylogenetic aspects

Weisbecker

Schmid

2007

Mammalian Biology

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Metapodials and phalanges of the second to fourth digital ray were measured for the hands and feet of 214 specimens belonging to 45 extant species of hystricognath rodents, encompassing members of all major clades of the radiation. Principal components analysis (PCA), the phalangeal index of the third digital ray in the hands and feet, and the relationship between second and fourth digital ray were used to investigate intrinsic autopodial proportions as well as to provide a base for comparisons between hands and feet. PCA separated cursorial Hystricognathi from arboreal ones, but lead to little distinction in other locomotory modes. Cursors have longer metapodials and shorter phalanges, particularly in their hind limb, while arboreal species have relatively longer manual and pedal phalanges. Terrestrial, scansorial, fossorial, and semi-aquatic species were not clearly distinguished, but there is a tendency towards elongated manual digits and relatively short feet in most fossorial species. Closely related species with similar locomotory habits tend to group together in PCA morphospace, and also have similar phalangeal indices. The results are in agreement with current hypotheses on locomotory adaptations of the hand and foot, and concur with many previous findings on autopodial proportions in arboreal, cursorial, and fossorial species. They also highlight the limited use of autopodial proportions for inferring systematic affinities. The lack of distinction in the majority of species is likely related to the lack of highly specialized locomotory types in Hystricognathi.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pcamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phalangeal Indices and Digital Ray Proportionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Autopodial skeletal diversity in hystricognath rodents: Functional and phylogenetic aspects

Weisbecker

Schmid

2007

Mammalian Biology

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New basicrania of Paleocene‐Eocene Ignacius: Re‐evaluation of the Plesiadapiform‐Dermopteran link

Bloch

Silcox

2001

American J Phys Anthropol

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Plesiadapiformes has long been considered to be an archaic group of Primates. Discovery of a paromomyid plesiadapiform skull and independent analysis of referred postcrania have led investigators to conclude that Plesiadapiformes shares a closer relationship to extant flying lemurs (Dermoptera) than to Primates (= Euprimates of Hoffstetter [1977] Bull Mem Soc Anthropol Paris Ser 13 4:327-346). Despite challenges to this interpretation, the plesiadapiform-dermopteran relationship has gained currency in recent years. Here we show that newly discovered crania of Ignacius graybullianus, preserving previously undocumented portions of the ear, are more similar to primates than to dermopterans. New specimens confirm that paromomyids lacked the petrosal bulla of primates. However, these new specimens also demonstrate that paromomyids likely had: 1) a small promontorial branch of the internal carotid artery; 2) a lateral route for the internal carotid nerves crossing the promontorium; and 3) a ring-like ectotympanic with an annular bridge. This pattern is similar to primitive primates and fundamentally different from dermopterans, which have: 1) no internal carotid artery; 2) internal carotid nerves that take a more medial route; and 3) no annular bridge. Recognition of some primate-like traits, documented here by new evidence, indicates that Paromomyidae is likely to be more closely related to other Paleogene Plesiadapiformes and Eocene Primates than to extant Dermoptera. In view of these findings, a link between paromomyids and extant dermopterans ("Eudermoptera") is not convincingly supported by a single characteristic of the basicranium.

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Comparative morphometrics of the primate apical tuft

Mittra

Smith

Lemelin

et al. 2007

American J Phys Anthropol

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The relationship between the structure and function of the primate apical tuft is poorly understood. This study addresses several hypotheses about apical tuft morphology using a large modern primate comparative sample. Two indices of tuft size are employed: expansion and robusticity. First, comparisons of relative apical tuft size were drawn among extant nonhuman primate groups in terms of locomotion and phylogenetic category. Both of these factors appear to play a role in apical tuft size among nonhuman primates. Suspensory primates and all platyrrhines had the smallest apical tufts, while terrestrial quadrupeds and all strepsirrhines (regardless of locomotor category) had the largest tufts. Similarly, hypotheses regarding the apical tufts of hominins, especially the large tufts of Neandertals were addressed using a comparison of modern warm- and cold-adapted humans. The results showed that cold-adapted populations possessed smaller apical tufts than did warm-adapted groups. Therefore, the cold-adaptation hypothesis for Neandertal distal phalangeal morphology is not supported. Also, early modern and Early Upper Paleolithic humans had apical tufts that were significantly less expanded and less robust than those of Neandertals. The hypothesis that a large apical tuft serves as support for an expanded digital pulp is supported by radiographic analysis of modern humans in that a significant correlation was discovered between the width of the apical tuft and the width of the pulp. The implications of these findings for hypotheses about the association of apical tuft size and tool making in the hominin fossil record are discussed.

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Phalangeal morphology of the Paromomyidae (?Primates, Plesiadapiformes): The evidence for gliding behavior reconsidered

Cited by 49 publications

References 40 publications

Autopodial skeletal diversity in hystricognath rodents: Functional and phylogenetic aspects

Autopodial skeletal diversity in hystricognath rodents: Functional and phylogenetic aspects

New basicrania of Paleocene‐Eocene Ignacius: Re‐evaluation of the Plesiadapiform‐Dermopteran link

Comparative morphometrics of the primate apical tuft

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