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Skeletal differentiation of Macaca fascicularis and Macaca nemestrina in relation to arboreal and terrestrial quadrupedalism
Author(s) -
Rodman Peter S.
Publication year - 1979
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/ajpa.1330510107
Subject(s) - arboreal locomotion , biology , cursorial , allometry , quadrupedalism , macaca nemestrina , postcrania , anatomy , animal ecology , ecology , predation , habitat , macaque , taxon
Sympatric Macaca fascicularis and M. nemestrina of Borneo coexist, in spite of similar frugivorous diets, by occupying habitats that differ in density of food sources. A primary specialization for foraging on widely dispersed food sources is terrestrial travel by M. nemestrina , in contrast to arboreal travel by M. fascicularis in the richer habitat. Theoretical biomechanical demands of terrestrial and arboreal quadrupedalism suggest the hypothesis that M. fascicularis should be built like a powerful climber and a leaper compared with M. nemestrina , which should be relatively cursorial in structure. Specific differences in skeletal proportions and muscle insertions are predicted by this hypothesis, and comparisons of the brachial index, relative length of the olecranon process, relative position of the radial tuberosity, relative length of the posterior scapular border, relative length of the ilium, relative length of the ischium, projection of the greater trochanter, and position of the lesser trochanter (but not the intermembral index or length of the clavicle) confirm these predictions. Allometric analysis of the indices reveals that allometric growth is sufficient to explain only the difference in the crural index.