Hallucal grasping behavior in Caluromys (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae): Implications for primate pedal grasping

Journal of Human Evolution
Dionisios Youlatos

Abstract

A key feature in primate evolution is a foot with a divergent opposable hallucal metatarsal bearing a large peroneal process. Extant primates are characterized by a powerful hallucal grasp-an either "euprimate" or "plesiadapoid-euprimate" ancestor acquisition-that facilitates the exploitation of fine branches, an ability that increased the fitness of ancestral euprimates. In this context, the didelphid marsupial Caluromys has been used as the extant analog to this primate morphotype stage due to some morphological, ecological, and behavioral features. However, the extent to which and the positional and support contexts in which Caluromys uses powerful hallucal grasping are not known. This renders analogies to any mode of "euprimate" or "stem primate" grasping poorly substantiated. The present paper quantifies locomotor and postural behavior, support use, and associated frequencies of hallucal grasping in captive Caluromys philander via analysis of video recordings. During locomotion, Caluromys primarily used diagonal sequence walk, clamber, and climb, whereas stand, foot-hang, and bipedal stand were the dominant postures. Small, fine, horizontal, and moderately inclined branches were frequently used. Overall rates of "apparentl...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 11, 2014·Journal of Human Evolution·Liza J ShapiroJohn L VandeBerg
Feb 3, 2016·Journal of Anatomy·Christophe Soligo, Jeroen B Smaers
Jan 3, 2013·Evolutionary Anthropology·Matt Cartmill
Jan 5, 2013·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Diego SustaitaAnthony Herrel
Aug 24, 2012·American Journal of Primatology·Kirsten L ManduellSusannah K S Thorpe
Jan 7, 2011·Journal of Morphology·Craig ByronDaniel Van Valkinburgh
Nov 16, 2012·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·P J HazimihalisM T Butcher
Nov 30, 2013·Journal of Morphology·Michael C GranatoskyDaniel Schmitt
May 17, 2014·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·J E RupertM T Butcher
Feb 1, 2014·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Virginia AbdalaFélix B Cruz
Mar 12, 2015·Journal of Morphology·Craig D ByronBiren A Patel
May 26, 2016·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Ecological Genetics and Physiology·Liza J ShapiroJesse W Young
Mar 17, 2020·Journal of Human Evolution·Grégoire Boulinguez-AmbroiseEmmanuelle Pouydebat
Mar 15, 2020·Current Biology : CB·Severine ToussaintDionisios Youlatos

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