Locomotor adaptations within theCercopithecus genus: A multivariate approach

Abstract

Multivariate analysis as a technique for investigating locomotor differentiation among primates has proven its power and usefulness in many studies on various skeletal dimensions. In these analyses primate genera were distributed and sometimes clustered in a manner that was interpretable based on current knowledge of gross locomotor differences. In an effort to advance our understanding of arboreality and terrestriality in primates, the present research involves a careful look for the most subtle morphological differences in locomotor behavior. It is believed that by looking at such subtle shape differences an understanding of what it means morphologically for a primate to be either more or less arboreal may be achieved. The species within the primate genus Cercopithecus were analyzed. This genus includes species which may be placed along a habitat (ground‐living to tree‐dwelling) or activity spectrum. The different habitats or activity patterns clearly require slight variations in patterns of movement, which in turn may require subtle structural adaptations. Multivariate analyses of 67 postcranial variables on seven species within the genus allowed detection of slight degrees of morphological variation. However, when morphological differences are small, size variance among specimens may take on an inflated importance. A substantial amount of work was devoted to finding the least biased method of removing size variance from the variables while incorporating a discrete size variable into the study. Using these transformed skeletal variables, interspecific groupings were discovered. Much of this infrastructure is then related to differing locomotor behavior and provides an insight into the fine structure of primate locomotor adaptation in an arboreal habitat.