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Metacarpal trabecular architecture variation in the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): evidence for locomotion and tool-use

Lazenby, Richard A, Skinner, Matthew M., Hublin, Jean-Jacques, Boesch, Christophe (2011) Metacarpal trabecular architecture variation in the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): evidence for locomotion and tool-use. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 144 (2). pp. 215-225. ISSN 1096-8644. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.21390) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:48483)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21390

Abstract

Trabecular architecture was assessed by 3D micro-computed tomography from spherical volumes of interest located within the head and base of metacarpals (MC) 1, 2, and 5 from n = 19 adult common chimpanzees. Two subspecies, West African Pan troglodytes verus from the Taï Forest, Côte d'Ivoire (n = 12) and Central African P. t. troglodytes from Cameroon (n = 7), were studied. For the combined sample, the metacarpal head is distinguished by greater bone volume fraction across all metacarpals, though the MC 1 is distinctive in having thicker, more plate-like trabeculae. The architecture in the MC 2 and MC 5 can be related to strains associated with terrestrial knuckle-walking. In particular, the relatively robust MC 5 head architecture may result from functional loading incurred during braking and use of a palm-in hand posture. Examining differences between samples, we found that the Cameroon chimpanzees possess a more robust architecture across all metacarpals in the form of greater bone volume fraction, higher connectivity, and somewhat more plate-like structure. These differences are not explicable in terms of population distinctions in body size or daily travel distance, but possibly reflect a combination of more terrestrial knuckle-walking in the Cameroon sample and more diverse hand postures and precision handling required of nut-cracking in West African chimpanzees.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1002/ajpa.21390
Uncontrolled keywords: Pan troglodytes;microcomputed tomography;metacarpal trabecular architecture;knuckle-walking;nut-cracking
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Matthew Skinner
Date Deposited: 15 May 2015 12:42 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:19 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/48483 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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