Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Comparative and functional morphology of primate ungulae and distal phalanges

博士论文改进：灵长类有蹄类和远端指骨的比较和功能形态

• 批准号: 1341075
• 负责人: William Jungers
• 金额: $ 0.93万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1341075&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Comparative; functional

Flattened nails are a defining feature of humans and other primates; they are one of the few traits that unite this Order. Furthermore, the presence or absence of specialized nails distinguishes the three major extant primate groups: strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises, and galagos) possess a grooming claw on the second toe of each foot, tarsiers have one on both the second and third toes, and most anthropoids have none. This project, conducted by doctoral student Stephanie A. Maiolino under the guidance of Dr. William L. Jungers (Stony Brook University), intends to assess the origin, evolution, and diversity of primate nails and grooming claws within a broadly comparative mammalian context. A large database of high resolution digital photographs and ìCT scans of nails and distal phalanges will be collected. ìCT scanning is employed as a non-destructive method of sampling bones embedded within preserved mammalian skins and cadavers. Quantitative data will be analyzed to interpret the functional and phylogenetic significance of extant distal phalanx and nail shape, and to interpret the form of the distal phalanges of the earliest fossil primates. Ancestral state reconstructions will be used to assess the homologies and polarities of grooming claw form in different primate groups.This research will supply information that is integral to the understanding of broad questions of primate origins and diversification. It will provide data on the evolutionary transition from a claw-bearing ancestor into a nail-bearing primate, a primary component of theories of primate origins. Additionally, an understanding of the polarity of grooming claws among primate clades will be gained; this is critical to systematic analyses of controversial fossils. Finally, this study will help elucidate the functional and phylogenetic implications of an often cited, but poorly understood primate trait.This project promotes the education of a female graduate student and provides opportunities for collaborations with fellow students. It also includes the training and education of high school and undergraduate students in 3D and 2D imaging. MicroCT scans collected for this project will be shared using a free online repository, thus allowing data that were previously unavailable to be broadly accessed. Finally, results will be disseminated in peer reviewed journals, professional meetings, and public talks.

扁平的指甲是人类和其他灵长类动物的一个定义特征;它们是团结这个秩序的少数特征之一。此外，存在或不存在专门的指甲区分了现存的三个主要灵长类动物群体：链鼻猴（狐猴，懒猴和加拉戈斯）在每只脚的第二个脚趾上都有一个梳理爪子，眼镜猴在第二个和第三个脚趾上都有一个，而大多数蜥蜴没有。该项目由博士生Stephanie A. Maiolino在William L.荣格斯（斯托尼布鲁克大学），打算评估的起源，进化和灵长类动物的指甲和梳理爪的多样性在广泛比较哺乳动物的背景。将收集指甲和远端趾骨的高分辨率数字照片和CT扫描的大型数据库。CT扫描是一种非破坏性的方法，用于对保存的哺乳动物皮肤和尸体中嵌入的骨骼进行采样。定量数据将进行分析，以解释现存的远节指骨和指甲形状的功能和系统发育的意义，并解释最早的化石灵长类动物的远节指骨的形式。祖先状态重建将被用来评估不同灵长类动物群体中梳理爪形的同源性和极性。这项研究将提供信息，这对理解灵长类动物起源和多样化的广泛问题是不可或缺的。它将提供从有爪祖先进化到有指甲灵长类动物的数据，这是灵长类动物起源理论的主要组成部分。此外，还将了解灵长类分支中梳理爪的极性;这对系统分析有争议的化石至关重要。最后，这项研究将有助于阐明一个经常被引用，但知之甚少的灵长类动物的特征的功能和系统发育的影响。这个项目促进了女研究生的教育，并提供了与同学合作的机会。它还包括3D和2D成像方面的高中生和本科生的培训和教育。为该项目收集的MicroCT扫描将使用免费的在线存储库共享，从而使以前无法获得的数据能够广泛访问。最后，研究结果将在同行评审期刊、专业会议和公开讲座中传播。