Experimental Studies on Primate Locomotion

在过去的四十年里，许多研究收集了记录灵长类动物（猴子和猿）运动行为方面的经验数据。 其中一些研究的结果揭示了灵长类动物所表现出的四足行走形式的不寻常特征。 这反过来又导致了灵长类动物在诸如神经控制运动模式等方面与哺乳动物的独特性。 然而，主要是基于数据的蝗虫，这样的结论是不成熟的，没有可比的数据，原猴纲灵长类动物。 因此，拟议研究的目标是进行一系列关于原猴亚目灵长类动物运动行为方面的实验室研究，以补充目前稀疏的经验数据库，并允许与更好地记录的原猴亚目灵长类动物以及非灵长类哺乳动物的运动行为进行比较。 本研究将解决的具体问题包括记录各种原猴纲物种（包括狐猴、欧狐猴）在四足运动过程中的肌肉募集模式。fulvus和E. rubriventer使用肌电图技术（EMG）;与跳跃力学相关的问题分析，跳跃是一种运动行为，使用力板记录显示某些原猿类物种（如Propithecus coquereli）中最专业化的发展;以及对马达加斯加岛猴（Dauremonia madagascariensis）的运动行为的研究，狐猴是原猴目中最神秘的物种之一，使用了运动分析，肌电图和测力板记录，试图解释它的许多不寻常的颅后形态特征。 这项研究的结果将显着扩大我们的经验数据基础上灵长类动物运动行为，允许合法的结论，什么是或不是该命令的特点。 这些信息将有助于更准确地定义灵长类动物的含义，以及在该命令的起源及其最终的分散和多样化中涉及哪些因素。

Over the past forty years, many studies have collected empirical data documenting aspects of the locomotor behavior of anthropoid primates (monkeys and apes). The results of some of this research have revealed unusual characteristics of the form of quadrupedalism that primates display. This has in turn led to suggestions of distinctiveness in primates among mammals in such things as patterns of neural control of movement. However, based largely on data for anthropoids only, such conclusions are premature without comparable data on prosimian primates. The goals of the proposed study, therefore, are to undertake a set of laboratory based studies concerning aspects of locomotor behavior among prosimian primates in order to supplement the currently sparse empirical data base, and allow comparisons with the better-documented locomotor behavior of anthropoid primates as well as nonprimate mammals. The specific questions this study will address include documentation of patterns of muscle recruitment during quadrupedal locomotion in a variety of prosimian species including Lemur catta, Eulemur. fulvus, and E. rubriventer using the technique of electromyography (EMG); analysis of issues associated with the mechanics of leaping, a locomotor behavior that displays its most specialized development among certain prosimian species such as Propithecus coquereli using force-plate recordings; and examination of the locomotor behavior of Daubentonia madagascariensis, the Aye-aye, one of the most enigmatic of prosimian species, using a combination of motion analysis, EMG and force-plate recordings to attempt to interpret some of its many unusual postcranial morphological features. The results of this research will significantly expand our empirical data base on primate locomotor behavior, permitting legitimate conclusions regarding what is or isn't characteristic of the Order. Such information will contribute to a more precise definition of what it means to be a primate, and what factors were involved in the origins of the Order and its eventual dispersal and diversification.