Grasping in primates: for feeding, moving and human specificities (Saisir chez les primates: se nourrir, se deplacer et les specificities humanines)

For a long time, humans (genus Homo) were

thought to be the only mammalian species capable of dextrous

manual grasping. However, grasping is widespread

among tetrapods, and among primates, it is associated with

a wide range of morphological, dietary and locomotor variation.

From an evolutionary perspective, this prompts several

questions: is the origin and evolution of grasping in primates

derived from requirements associated primarily with feeding

or primarily with locomotor behaviour? Are there grasping

abilities that are unique to humans? Who made the first tool?

The main purpose of this paper is to present a short overview

of grasping in primates in order to open a discussion. We

show that grasping strategies vary across species, depending

on food properties and the substrates used. We also demonstrate

that non-human primates can control individual digits,

allowing them to use their hands dextrously. Finally, we discuss

the challenges that arise in distinguishing anatomical

features related to grasping and the debate around the first

hominin tool-makers.