Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Volume 153, Issue 4, Pages 582-597Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22458
Keywords
Miocene apes; hominoid hand evolution; thumb morphology; precision grasping
Categories
Funding
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Fulbright Commission [2009 BFUL 00049, 2009 BP-A 00226]
- Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad [CGL2011-27343, 2009 SGR 754 GRC]
- American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Professional Development Program
- ICREA Funding Source: Custom
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Oreopithecus bambolii is a Late Miocene ape from Italy, first described in the late 19th century. Its interpretation is still highly controversial, especially in reference to its hand proportions and thumb morphology. In this study, the authors provide detailed descriptions of the available Oreopithecus pollical distal phalanx (PDP) specimens, as well as bivariate and multivariate morphometric analyses in comparison with humans, extant apes, selected anthropoid monkeys, and available Miocene PDP specimens. The multivariate results reveal two opposite poles on the hominoid PDP shape spectrum: on one side, a mediolaterally broad and dorsopalmarly short human PDP, and on the other side, the narrow and conical PDP of chimpanzees and orangutans. The authors contend that Oreopithecus exhibits intermediate PDP proportions that are largely primitive for hominoids because it shares morphological similarities with Proconsul. Furthermore, Oreopithecus displays a mediolaterally wide tuft for a hominoid, as well as a palmarly elevated attachment for a long tendon of a flexor muscle that is associated at its proximal edge with a proximal fossa and at its distal edge with an ungual fossa. These nonmetrical traits have been associated in humans with their capability to oppose and contact the proximal pads of the thumb and fingers, that is, pad-to-pad precision grasping. These traits reinforce previous studies that indicate a human-like thumb-to-hand length ratio compatible with pad-to-pad precision grasping in Oreopithecus. Although specific hand use is still unresolved in Oreopithecus, the results suggest enhanced manipulative skills (unrelated to stone tool-making) in this taxon relative to other (extant or fossil) hominoids. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:582-597, 2014. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available