TY - JOUR
T1 - Functional morphology and anatomy of cervical vertebrae in Nacholapithecus kerioi, a middle Miocene hominoid from Kenya
AU - Kikuchi, Yasuhiro
AU - Nakano, Yoshihiko
AU - Nakatsukasa, Masato
AU - Kunimatsu, Yutaka
AU - Shimizu, Daisuke
AU - Ogihara, Naomichi
AU - Tsujikawa, Hiroshi
AU - Takano, Tomo
AU - Ishida, Hidemi
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors are extremely grateful to Editor, David Begun, and the Associate Editor, Terry Harrison, for commenting on and proofreading our manuscript. The authors also thank two anonymous reviewers for their kind advice and comments. Sincere thanks are due to Sarah Schnack, Journal Manager, Journal of Human Evolution for her kind help during the electronic submission. We extend our gratitude to the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya, the directors, especially Emma Mbua, and the staff of the National Museums of Kenya for permission to carry out research in Kenya. We thank the curators of the Division of Osteology of the National Museums of Kenya; Christoph Zollikofer, Marcia Ponce de León, Marco Milella, and Naoki Morimoto of Anthropological Institute Universität Zürich Irchel; the curators of Zoology of Museum für Naturkunde Berlin; Christine Lefèvre and Francis Renoult of Archéozoologue de Muséum National D'histoire Naturelle; Gilissen Emmanuel and Wendelen Wim of African Zoology of Royal Museum for Central Africa; Richard Kraft of Zoologische Staatssammlung München; the collections manager, Paula Jenkins, Louise Tomsett, and Roberto Portela Miguez in the Department Zoology of Natural History Museum, London; and the staff of Japan Monkey Centre for access to collections under their care. This study complied with the guidelines of Saga University regarding the ethical treatment of human data, as well as with specific national laws. This study was supported by the JSPS Grant-in-Aid ( #20247033 ).
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - This paper describes the morphology of cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus kerioi, a middle Miocene primate species excavated from Nachola, Kenya in 1999-2002. The cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus are larger than those of . Papio cynocephalus. They are more robust relative to more caudal vertebral bones. Since . Nacholapithecus had large forelimbs, it is assumed that strong cervical vertebrae would have been required to resist muscle reaction forces during locomotion. On the other hand, the vertebral foramen of the lower cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus is almost the same size as or smaller than that of . P. cynocephalus. Atlas specimens of . Nacholapithecus resemble those of extant great apes with regard to the superior articular facet, and they have an anterior tubercle trait intermediate between that of extant apes and other primate species. Nacholapithecus has a relatively short and thick dens on the axis, similar to those of extant great apes and the axis body shape is intermediate between that of extant apes and other primates. Moreover, an intermediate trait between extant great apes and other primate species has been indicated with regard to the angle between the prezygapophyseal articular facets of the axis in . Nacholapithecus. Although the atlas of . Nacholapithecus is inferred as having a primitive morphology (i.e., possessing a lateral bridge), the shape of the atlas and axis leads to speculation that locomotion or posture in . Nacholapithecus involved more orthograde behavior similar to that of extant apes, and, in so far as cervical vertebral morphology is concerned, it is thought that . Nacholapithecus was incipiently specialized toward the characteristics of extant hominoids.
AB - This paper describes the morphology of cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus kerioi, a middle Miocene primate species excavated from Nachola, Kenya in 1999-2002. The cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus are larger than those of . Papio cynocephalus. They are more robust relative to more caudal vertebral bones. Since . Nacholapithecus had large forelimbs, it is assumed that strong cervical vertebrae would have been required to resist muscle reaction forces during locomotion. On the other hand, the vertebral foramen of the lower cervical vertebrae in . Nacholapithecus is almost the same size as or smaller than that of . P. cynocephalus. Atlas specimens of . Nacholapithecus resemble those of extant great apes with regard to the superior articular facet, and they have an anterior tubercle trait intermediate between that of extant apes and other primate species. Nacholapithecus has a relatively short and thick dens on the axis, similar to those of extant great apes and the axis body shape is intermediate between that of extant apes and other primates. Moreover, an intermediate trait between extant great apes and other primate species has been indicated with regard to the angle between the prezygapophyseal articular facets of the axis in . Nacholapithecus. Although the atlas of . Nacholapithecus is inferred as having a primitive morphology (i.e., possessing a lateral bridge), the shape of the atlas and axis leads to speculation that locomotion or posture in . Nacholapithecus involved more orthograde behavior similar to that of extant apes, and, in so far as cervical vertebral morphology is concerned, it is thought that . Nacholapithecus was incipiently specialized toward the characteristics of extant hominoids.
KW - Africa
KW - Atlas
KW - Axis
KW - Hominoidea
KW - Miocene
KW - Orthograde
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 22542211
AN - SCOPUS:84861910607
VL - 62
SP - 677
EP - 695
JO - Journal of Human Evolution
JF - Journal of Human Evolution
SN - 0047-2484
IS - 6
ER -