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Appearance of ossification centers of the lower arm, wrist, lower leg, and ankle in immature orangutans and chimpanzees with an assessment of the relationship of ossification to dental development
Author(s) -
Winkler Linda A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199601)99:1<191::aid-ajpa11>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - ossification , ossification center , anatomy , wrist , medicine , tarsal bone , ankle , gorilla , biology , paleontology
This study examines the appearance of the secondary ossification centers in the lower arms, wrists, lower legs, and ankles of a cross‐sectional sample of 20 infant orangutans and chimpanzees (15 of known age). The number of tarsal and carpal centers is analyzed relative to the degree of M 1 development and the weight of individual animals. Variation in the appearance of these ossification centers is discussed relative to these variables and others. In addition, a sequence of appearance is established for the carpal and tarsal ossification centers in the orangutan and data is presented on the status of these centers in a fetal and newborn gorilla. Study results indicate that 1) there is variation in the number of secondary epiphyses present in animals of similar ages; 2) tarsal ossification is completed prior to carpal ossification in the orangutan; 3) there are indications of a relationship between weight and the number of ossification centers present in animals of similar age; and 4) there appears to be no evidence of specific relationships between carpal and tarsal development and M 1 development. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.