Primate Evolution in Madagascar: Phylogeny, Function and Development (Anthropology)

这项研究是最近对马达加斯加进行古生物探险的结果。这些研究包括：(1)已灭绝狐猴的功能解剖，包括对以前未知的腕骨和踏板材料、椎骨和骨盆的描述和功能解释。目标是重建灭绝狐猴的位置行为，描述新物种，并分析长骨结构适应的模式。(2)狐猴进化个体发育。印度龙(包括已灭绝的巨型恐龙)的牙齿和躯体的生长模式在灵长类动物中是非常罕见的。将使用新的分析策略来检查和比较现有的个体发生序列。(3)狐猴的地理变异、性别变异和系统发育。将对狐猴亚化石的骨骼变异进行多变量分析，并对狐猴进行分类修订，包括对以前仅在现存狐猴中研究的特征进行表型和分支处理。互动活动包括一门关于“个体发育的进化”的课程和一次根据学生需要设计的研究生研讨会，主题包括：异速生长问题、进化生物学中的数学建模、性别二形性、马达加斯加灵长类的进化和灭绝。此外，还将提供特别强调亚化石狐猴的客座讲座。

This research is an outgrowth of recent paleontological expeditions to Madagascar. The research include: (1) Functional anatomy of extinct lemurs, encompassing descriptions and functional interpretations of previously unknown carpal and pedal materials, vertebrae, and pelves. The goals are reconstruction of positional behavior of extinct lemurs, description of new species, and analysis of patterns of long bone structural adaptation. (2) Lemur evolutionary ontogeny. Indroids (including the giant extinct forms) have patterns of dental and somatic growth that are exceedingly unusual for primates. Available ontogenetic series will be examined and compared, using new analytical strategies. (3) Geographic variation, sexual variation and phylogeny of lemurs. A multivariate analysis of subfossil lemur skeletal variation will be conducted and a taxonomic revision of the lemurs will be undertaken, including phenetic and cladistic treatments of characters previously studied only among extant lemurs. Interactive activities include a course on "The Evolution of Ontogeny" and a graduate seminar designed according to student needs on topics such as: problems in allometry, mathematical modelling in evolutionary biology, sexual dimorphism, the evolution and extinction of Malagasy primates. In addition, guest lectures will be offered with special emphasis on subfossil lemurs.