1
|
Monclús-Gonzalo O, Alba DM, Duhamel A, Fabre AC, Marigó J. Early euprimates already had a diverse locomotor repertoire: Evidence from ankle bone morphology. J Hum Evol 2023; 181:103395. [PMID: 37320961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103395] [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: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The morphological adaptations of euprimates have been linked to their origin and early evolution in an arboreal environment. However, the ancestral and early locomotor repertoire of this group remains contentious. Although some tarsal bones like the astragalus and the calcaneus have been thoroughly studied, the navicular remains poorly studied despite its potential implications for foot mobility. Here, we evaluate early euprimate locomotion by assessing the shape of the navicular-an important component of the midtarsal region of the foot-using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics in relation to quantified locomotor repertoire in a wide data set of extant primates. We also reconstruct the locomotor repertoire of representatives of the major early primate lineages with a novel phylogenetically informed discriminant analysis and characterize the changes that occurred in the navicular during the archaic primate-euprimate transition. To do so, we included in our study an extensive sample of naviculars (36 specimens) belonging to different species of adapiforms, omomyiforms, and plesiadapiforms. Our results indicate that navicular shape embeds a strong functional signal, allowing us to infer the type of locomotion of extinct primates. We demonstrate that early euprimates displayed a diverse locomotor behavior, although they did not reach the level of specialization of some living forms. Finally, we show that the navicular bone experienced substantial reorganization throughout the archaic primate-euprimate transition, supporting the major functional role of the tarsus during early primate evolution. This study demonstrates that navicular shape can be used as a reliable proxy for primate locomotor behavior. In addition, it sheds light on the diverse locomotor behavior of early primates as well as on the archaic primate-euprimate transition, which involved profound morphological changes within the tarsus, including the navicular bone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oriol Monclús-Gonzalo
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David M Alba
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anaïs Duhamel
- University of Lyon, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne 69622, France
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, 3005 Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Life Sciences Department, Vertebrates Division, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Judit Marigó
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Departament de Geologia, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Oldest colobine calcaneus from East Asia (Zhaotong, Yunnan, China). J Hum Evol 2020; 147:102866. [PMID: 32862123 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102866] [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] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Apart from a juvenile hominoid, the locality of Shuitangba (southwestern China, 6.5-6.0 Ma) has yielded a mandible and proximal femur attributed to the colobine genus Mesopithecus. A complete colobine calcaneus also accompanies this material, but its association with the other Mesopithecus material remains to be confirmed. These fossil elements are very important as they represent the oldest known colobines from East Asia, extend the dispersal of Mesopithecus to southwestern China, and underscore its close affinities and potential ancestry to the odd-nosed colobines. The present article focuses on the functional morphology of this complete calcaneus to reconstruct the positional habits, infer the paleocology, and understand the dispersal patterns of this fossil colobine. The studied characters corroborate the attribution of this element to colobines and support potential affinities with the Mesopithecus remains of the same locality. Functionally, characters such as the long and narrow tuber calcanei, the short proximal calcaneal region, and the relatively extended and long and narrow proximal calcaneoastragalar facet appear to enable habitual pedal flexion with conjunct inversion that accommodate the foot on diversely oriented and differently sized arboreal substrates. On the other hand, the relatively short distal calcaneal region is functionally related to (mainly terrestrial) quadrupedal activities, wherein thrust and rapid flexion are required. This combination of characters suggests that the Shuitangba colobine could move at ease on arboreal substrates and was also able to occasionally use terrestrial substrates. The potential affinities of this calcaneus to Mesopithecus and its positional profile most likely imply an eastward migration via forested corridors. In Shuitangba, this fossil colobine could trophically and positionally exploit a wide range of habitats successfully coexisting with resident hominoids.
Collapse
|
3
|
Etienne C, Mallet C, Cornette R, Houssaye A. Influence of mass on tarsus shape variation: a morphometrical investigation among Rhinocerotidae (Mammalia: Perissodactyla). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Many tetrapod lineages show extreme increases in body mass in their evolutionary history, associated with important osteological changes. The ankle joint, essential for foot movement, is assumed to be particularly affected in this regard. We investigated the morphological adaptations of the astragalus and the calcaneus in Rhinocerotidae, and analysed them in light of a comparative analysis with other Perissodactyla. We performed 3D geometric morphometrics and correlated shape with centroid size of the bone and body mass of the species. Our results show that mass has an influence on bone shape in Rhinocerotidae and in Perissodactyla, but this is not as strong as expected. In heavy animals the astragalus has a flatter trochlea, orientated more proximally, associated with a more upright posture of the limb. The calcaneus is more robust, possibly to sustain the greater tension force exerted by the muscles during plantarflexion. Both bones show wider articular facets, providing greater cohesion and better dissipation of the loading forces. The body plan of the animals also has an influence. Short-legged Teleoceratina have a flatter astragalus than the other rhinocerotids. Paraceratherium has a thinner calcaneus than expected. This study clarifies adaptations to high body weight among Rhinocerotidae and calls for similar investigations in other groups with massive forms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Etienne
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Mallet
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- UMR 7205, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Ecole Publique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fostowicz-Frelik Ł, Li Q, Ni X. Oldest ctenodactyloid tarsals from the Eocene of China and evolution of locomotor adaptations in early rodents. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:150. [PMID: 30286712 PMCID: PMC6172738 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1259-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tamquammys has been considered one of the basal ctenodactyloid rodents, which has been documented in the earliest to middle Eocene (~ 56.0–48.5 Ma) in China. It was the most abundant and widespread rodent genus in the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and dominated Arshantan small-mammal faunas of that region. Here for the first time we describe the morphology of the astragalocalcaneal complex in Tamquammys robustus (larger) and T. wilsoni, and interpret it against the background of locomotor adaptations of basal Euarchontoglires (rodents, lagomorphs, tree shrews, and primates). Results The comparative morphology of the tarsal elements in Tamquammys robustus and T. wilsoni shows overall slenderness of the bones and their similarity to the tarsal elements of Rattus, a generalist species, and those of small rock squirrels (e.g. Sciurotamias). The two species differ slightly in their cursorial ability; smaller T. wilsoni shows some adaptations to climbing. The results of principal component analysis of the calcaneus and astragalus support this observation and place T. robustus in-between Rattus and ground/rock squirrel morphospace, and T. wilsoni closer to euarchontans, Tupaia and Purgatorius. Conclusions The morphology of the tarsal elements in Tamquammys indicates a generalist rodent morphotype with no particular adaptations to arboreality. We suggest that Tamquammys as a basal ctenodactyloid is closer to the ancestral astragalocalcaneal morphology of rodents than that of more derived North American paramyines of similar age. Overall similarity in Tamquammys tarsal elements structure to Purgatorius, a basal primate, may point to the antiquity of the tarsal structure in Tamquammys and a generally unspecialized foot structure in early Euarchontoglires. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1259-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-818, Warszawa, PL, Poland.
| | - Qian Li
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xijun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shearer BM, Cooke SB, Halenar LB, Reber SL, Plummer JE, Delson E, Tallman M. Evaluating causes of error in landmark-based data collection using scanners. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187452. [PMID: 29099867 PMCID: PMC5669428 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we assess the precision, accuracy, and repeatability of craniodental landmarks (Types I, II, and III, plus curves of semilandmarks) on a single macaque cranium digitally reconstructed with three different surface scanners and a microCT scanner. Nine researchers with varying degrees of osteological and geometric morphometric knowledge landmarked ten iterations of each scan (40 total) to test the effects of scan quality, researcher experience, and landmark type on levels of intra- and interobserver error. Two researchers additionally landmarked ten specimens from seven different macaque species using the same landmark protocol to test the effects of the previously listed variables relative to species-level morphological differences (i.e., observer variance versus real biological variance). Error rates within and among researchers by scan type were calculated to determine whether or not data collected by different individuals or on different digitally rendered crania are consistent enough to be used in a single dataset. Results indicate that scan type does not impact rate of intra- or interobserver error. Interobserver error is far greater than intraobserver error among all individuals, and is similar in variance to that found among different macaque species. Additionally, experience with osteology and morphometrics both positively contribute to precision in multiple landmarking sessions, even where less experienced researchers have been trained in point acquisition. Individual training increases precision (although not necessarily accuracy), and is highly recommended in any situation where multiple researchers will be collecting data for a single project.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian M. Shearer
- Ph.D. Program in Anthropology, The Graduate Center (CUNY), New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
- NYCEP Morphometrics Group, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Siobhán B. Cooke
- NYCEP Morphometrics Group, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lauren B. Halenar
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
- NYCEP Morphometrics Group, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Farmingdale State College (SUNY), Farmingdale, New York, United States of America
| | - Samantha L. Reber
- School of Forensic and Applied Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - Jeannette E. Plummer
- Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Delson
- Ph.D. Program in Anthropology, The Graduate Center (CUNY), New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
- NYCEP Morphometrics Group, New York, New York, United States of America
- Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Lehman College (CUNY), Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Melissa Tallman
- NYCEP Morphometrics Group, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Valley State University, Grand Valley, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Femenias-Gual J, Marigó J, Minwer-Barakat R, Moyà-Solà S. New dental and postcranial material of Agerinia smithorum (Primates, Adapiformes) from the type locality Casa Retjo-1 (early Eocene, Iberian Peninsula). J Hum Evol 2017; 113:127-136. [PMID: 29054163 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.08.015] [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: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
New material attributed to Agerinia smithorum from Casa Retjo-1 (early Eocene, NE Iberian Peninsula), consisting of 13 isolated teeth and a fragment of calcaneus, is studied in this work. These fossils allow the first description of the calcaneus and the upper premolars for the genus Agerinia, as well as the first description of the P2 and M2 for A. smithorum. The newly recovered lower teeth are virtually identical to the holotype of A. smithorum and are clearly distinguishable from the other species of Agerinia. The upper teeth also show clear differences with Agerinia marandati. The morphology of the calcaneal remains reveals that A. smithorum practiced a moderately active arboreal quadrupedal mode of locomotion, showing less leaping proclivity than notharctines but more than asiadapids. All the morphological features observed in the described material reinforce the hypothesis of a single lineage consisting of the species A. smithorum, A. marandati, and Agerinia roselli. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis developed in this work, which incorporates the newly described remains of A. smithorum, maintains the position of Agerinia as closely related to sivaladapids and asiadapids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Femenias-Gual
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Judit Marigó
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Centre de Recherches sur La Paléobiodiversité et Les Paléoenvironnements (CR2P, UMR 7207), Sorbonne Universités - MNHN, CNRS, UMPC-Paris 6, 57 Rue Cuvier, CP38, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Raef Minwer-Barakat
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Moyà-Solà
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Unit of Anthropology, BABVE Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Püschel TA, Gladman JT, Bobe R, Sellers WI. The evolution of the platyrrhine talus: A comparative analysis of the phenetic affinities of the Miocene platyrrhines with their modern relatives. J Hum Evol 2017; 111:179-201. [PMID: 28874270 PMCID: PMC5603972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Platyrrhines are a diverse group of primates that presently occupy a broad range of tropical-equatorial environments in the Americas. However, most of the fossil platyrrhine species of the early Miocene have been found at middle and high latitudes. Although the fossil record of New World monkeys has improved considerably over the past several years, it is still difficult to trace the origin of major modern clades. One of the most commonly preserved anatomical structures of early platyrrhines is the talus. This work provides an analysis of the phenetic affinities of extant platyrrhine tali and their Miocene counterparts through geometric morphometrics and a series of phylogenetic comparative analyses. Geometric morphometrics was used to quantify talar shape affinities, while locomotor mode percentages (LMPs) were used to test if talar shape is associated with locomotion. Comparative analyses were used to test if there was convergence in talar morphology, as well as different models that could explain the evolution of talar shape and size in platyrrhines. Body mass predictions for the fossil sample were also computed using the available articular surfaces. The results showed that most analyzed fossils exhibit a generalized morphology that is similar to some 'generalist' modern species. It was found that talar shape covaries with LMPs, thus allowing the inference of locomotion from talar morphology. The results further suggest that talar shape diversification can be explained by invoking a model of shifts in adaptive peak to three optima representing a phylogenetic hypothesis in which each platyrrhine family occupied a separate adaptive peak. The analyses indicate that platyrrhine talar centroid size diversification was characterized by an early differentiation related to a multidimensional niche model. Finally, the ancestral platyrrhine condition was reconstructed as a medium-sized, generalized, arboreal, quadruped.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Püschel
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
| | - Justin T Gladman
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, USA; NYCEP, New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - René Bobe
- Departamento de Antropología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, School of Anthropology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - William I Sellers
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Marigó J, Roig I, Seiffert ER, Moyà-Solà S, Boyer DM. Astragalar and calcaneal morphology of the middle Eocene primate Anchomomys frontanyensis (Anchomomyini): Implications for early primate evolution. J Hum Evol 2016; 91:122-43. [PMID: 26852816 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Astragali and calcanei of Anchomomys frontanyensis, a small adapiform from the middle Eocene of Sant Jaume de Frontanyà (Southern Pyrenean basins, northeastern Spain) are described in detail. Though these bones have been known for some time, they have never been carefully analyzed in a context that is comprehensively comparative, quantitative, considers sample variation (astragalus n = 4; calcaneus n = 16), and assesses the phylogenetic significance of the material in an explicit cladistic context, as we do here. Though these bones are isolated, regression analyses provide the first formal statistical support for attribution to A. frontanyensis. The astragalus presents features similar to those of the small stem strepsirrhine Djebelemur from the middle Eocene of Tunisia, while the calcaneus more closely resembles those of the basal omomyiform Teilhardina. The new phylogenetic analyses that include Anchomomys' postcranial and dental data recover anchomomyins outside of the adapiform clade, and closer to djebelemurids, azibiids, and crown strepsirrhines. The small size of A. frontanyensis allows comparison of similarly small adapiforms and omomyiforms (haplorhines) such that observed variation has more straightforward implications for function. Previous studies have demonstrated that distal calcaneal elongation is reflective of leaping proclivity when effects of body mass are appropriately accounted for; in this context, A. frontanyensis has calcaneal elongation suggesting a higher degree of leaping specialization than other adapiforms and even some early omomyiforms. Moreover, comparison to a similarly-sized early adapiform from India, Marcgodinotius (which shows no calcaneal elongation) confirms that high distal calcaneal elongation in A. frontanyensis cannot be simply explained by allometric effects of small size compared to larger adapiform taxa. This pattern is consistent with the idea that significant distal calcaneal elongation evolved at least twice in early euprimates, and that early primate niche space frequently included demands for increased leaping specialization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judit Marigó
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 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.
| | - Imma Roig
- 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
| | - Erik R Seiffert
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Salvador Moyà-Solà
- ICREA at 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
| | - Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tallman M, Cooke SB. New endemic platyrrhine humerus from Haiti and the evolution of the Greater Antillean platyrrhines. J Hum Evol 2016; 91:144-66. [PMID: 26852817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2013] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Much debate surrounds the phylogenetic affinities of the endemic Greater Antillean platyrrhines. Thus far, most phylogenetic analyses have been constructed and tested using craniodental characters. We add to this dialog by considering how features of the distal humerus support or refute existing hypotheses for the origins of fossil Caribbean primates, utilizing three-dimensional geometric morphometric data in combination with character based cladistic analyses. We also add to the sample of fossil platyrrhine humeri with the description of UF 114718, a new distal humerus from Haiti. We reconstruct UF 114718 to be a generalized, arboreal quadruped attributed to the species Insulacebus toussantiana. Our results from phylogenetic analyses lend some support to the idea that some Greater Antillean fossil taxa including Xenothrix mcgregori, Antillothrix bernensis, and Insulacebus toussaintiana could form a monophyletic clade that is sister to either extant Platyrrhini or basal pitheciids. Based on the distal humeral data, we reconstruct the earliest ancestral platyrrhine to be a generalized, arboreal quadruped that potentially emphasized pronated arm postures during locomotion and may have engaged in some limited climbing, most similar in shape to early anthropoids and some of the earliest Antillean forms. However, aspects of shape and standard qualitative characters relating to the distal humerus seem to be variable and prone to both homoplasy and reversals; thus these results must be interpreted cautiously and (where possible) within the context provided by other parts of the skeleton.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Tallman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI 49401, USA.
| | - Siobhán B Cooke
- Department of Anthropology, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 North St. Louis Ave, Chicago, IL 60625-4699, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Seiffert ER, Costeur L, Boyer DM. Primate tarsal bones from Egerkingen, Switzerland, attributable to the middle Eocene adapiform Caenopithecus lemuroides. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1036. [PMID: 26131376 PMCID: PMC4485257 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The middle Eocene species Caenopithecus lemuroides, known solely from the Egerkingen fissure fillings in Switzerland, was the first Paleogene fossil primate to be correctly identified as such (by Ludwig Rütimeyer in 1862), but has long been represented only by fragmentary mandibular and maxillary remains. More recent discoveries of adapiform fossils in other parts of the world have revealed Caenopithecus to be a biogeographic enigma, as it is potentially more closely related to Eocene adapiforms from Africa, Asia, and North America than it is to any known European forms. More anatomical evidence is needed, however, to provide robust tests of such phylogenetic hypotheses. Here we describe and analyze the first postcranial remains that can be attributed to C. lemuroides-an astragalus and three calcanei held in the collections of the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel that were likely recovered from Egerkingen over a century ago. Qualitative and multivariate morphometric analyses of these elements suggest that C. lemuroides was even more loris-like than European adapines such as Adapis and Leptadapis, and was not simply an adapine with an aberrant dentition. The astragalus of Caenopithecus is similar to that of younger Afradapis from the late Eocene of Egypt, and parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses that include the new tarsal data strongly support the placement of Afradapis and Caenopithecus as sister taxa to the exclusion of all other known adapiforms, thus implying that dispersal between Europe and Africa occurred during the middle Eocene. The new tarsal evidence, combined with previously known craniodental fossils, allows us to reconstruct C. lemuroides as having been an arboreal and highly folivorous 1.5-2.5 kg primate that likely moved slowly and deliberately with little or no capacity for acrobatic leaping, presumably maintaining consistent powerful grasps on branches in both above-branch and inverted postures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik R Seiffert
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University , Stony Brook, NY , USA
| | - Loïc Costeur
- Department of Geosciences, Naturhistorisches Museum Basel , Basel , Switzerland
| | - Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yapuncich GS, Gladman JT, Boyer DM. Predicting euarchontan body mass: A comparison of tarsal and dental variables. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 157:472-506. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Justin T. Gladman
- The Graduate Center; City University of New York; New York NY 10016
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP); New York NY 10028
| | - Doug M. Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC 27708
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP); New York NY 10028
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Boyer DM, Puente J, Gladman JT, Glynn C, Mukherjee S, Yapuncich GS, Daubechies I. A New Fully Automated Approach for Aligning and Comparing Shapes. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 298:249-76. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Doug M. Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
| | - Jesus Puente
- Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics; Princeton University; Princeton New Jersey
| | - Justin T. Gladman
- NYCEP, New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York New York
- PhD Program in Anthropology; Graduate Center, CUNY; New York New York
| | - Chris Glynn
- Department of Statistical Science; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
| | - Sayan Mukherjee
- Department of Statistical Science; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
- Department of Computer Science; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
- Department of Mathematics; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gebo DL, Smith R, Dagosto M, Smith T. Additional postcranial elements of Teilhardina belgica: the oldest European primate. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 156:388-406. [PMID: 25388600 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Teilhardina belgica is one of the earliest fossil primates ever recovered and the oldest fossil primate from Europe. As such, this taxon has often been hypothesized as a basal tarsiiform on the basis of its primitive dental formula with four premolars and a simplified molar cusp pattern. Until recently [see Rose et al.: Am J Phys Anthropol 146 (2011) 281-305; Gebo et al.: J Hum Evol 63 (2012) 205-218], little was known concerning its postcranial anatomy with the exception of its well-known tarsals. In this article, we describe additional postcranial elements for T. belgica and compare these with other tarsiiforms and with primitive adapiforms. The forelimb of T. belgica indicates an arboreal primate with prominent forearm musculature, good elbow rotational mobility, and a horizontal, rather than a vertical body posture. The lateral hand positions imply grasps adaptive for relatively large diameter supports given its small body size. The hand is long with very long fingers, especially the middle phalanges. The hindlimb indicates foot inversion capabilities, frequent leaping, arboreal quadrupedalism, climbing, and grasping. The long and well-muscled hallux can be coupled with long lateral phalanges to reconstruct a foot with long grasping digits. Our phyletic analysis indicates that we can identify several postcranial characteristics shared in common for stem primates as well as note several derived postcranial characters for Tarsiiformes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Gebo
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 60115
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pattinson DJ, Thompson RS, Piotrowski AK, Asher RJ. Phylogeny, Paleontology, and Primates: Do Incomplete Fossils Bias the Tree of Life? Syst Biol 2014; 64:169-86. [DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syu077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Pattinson
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Richard S. Thompson
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Aleks K. Piotrowski
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Robert J. Asher
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ; 2Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ; 3Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD; and 4Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Boyer DM, Yapuncich GS, Chester SG, Bloch JI, Godinot M. Hands of early primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2013; 152 Suppl 57:33-78. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Doug M. Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
| | - Gabriel S. Yapuncich
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
| | - Stephen G.B. Chester
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Brooklyn College; CUNY; Brooklyn NY
| | - Jonathan I. Bloch
- Florida Museum of Natural History; University of Florida; Gainesville FL
| | - Marc Godinot
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes; UMR; 5143 Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Boyer DM, Seiffert ER, Gladman JT, Bloch JI. Evolution and allometry of calcaneal elongation in living and extinct primates. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67792. [PMID: 23844094 PMCID: PMC3701013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Specialized acrobatic leaping has been recognized as a key adaptive trait tied to the origin and subsequent radiation of euprimates based on its observed frequency in extant primates and inferred frequency in extinct early euprimates. Hypothesized skeletal correlates include elongated tarsal elements, which would be expected to aid leaping by allowing for increased rates and durations of propulsive acceleration at takeoff. Alternatively, authors of a recent study argued that pronounced distal calcaneal elongation of euprimates (compared to other mammalian taxa) was related primarily to specialized pedal grasping. Testing for correlations between calcaneal elongation and leaping versus grasping is complicated by body size differences and associated allometric affects. We re-assess allometric constraints on, and the functional significance of, calcaneal elongation using phylogenetic comparative methods, and present an evolutionary hypothesis for the evolution of calcaneal elongation in primates using a Bayesian approach to ancestral state reconstruction (ASR). Results show that among all primates, logged ratios of distal calcaneal length to total calcaneal length are inversely correlated with logged body mass proxies derived from the area of the calcaneal facet for the cuboid. Results from phylogenetic ANOVA on residuals from this allometric line suggest that deviations are explained by degree of leaping specialization in prosimians, but not anthropoids. Results from ASR suggest that non-allometric increases in calcaneal elongation began in the primate stem lineage and continued independently in haplorhines and strepsirrhines. Anthropoid and lorisid lineages show stasis and decreasing elongation, respectively. Initial increases in calcaneal elongation in primate evolution may be related to either development of hallucal-grasping or a combination of grasping and more specialized leaping behaviors. As has been previously suggested, subsequent increases in calcaneal elongation are likely adaptations for more effective acrobatic leaping, highlighting the importance of this behavior in early euprimate evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doug M Boyer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|