Reports

Program No.17-011

Study of relation between trabecular structure of femoral head and locomotor adaptation in primates

NAKATSUKASA, Masato

Period of visit: 10th November,2005-26th November,2005

University of Zurich Anthropological Institute and Museum

Pliopithecus vindobonensis postcranial specimens housed at the Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich (Individuals 1 and 3, and isolated specimens) were observed and measured for a comparison with living and African fossil hominoids. P. vindobonensis is a primitive catarrhine known from the late early Miocene of Europe. It is specialized for climbing and suspension and exhibits postcranial features parallel to living apes, such as curved phalanges, shortened lumbar vertebral body, wide sternum, elongated clavicle. However, it lacks some of derived postcranial features observed in living apes and thus displays a mosaic of primitive and derived characters. Therefore, it is an important material for the study of postcranial homoplasy and reconstruction of locomotor behavior in fossil hominoids. In relation to this, trabecular structure was measured by means of micro CT in Ateles and Alouatta, suspensory and non-suspensory similar-sized platyrrhines. Trabecular architecture of P. vindobonensisis will be measured and compared with these data sets.

Anthropological Museum, Zurich University

Zurich city

HOPE Project<>