Cross-Sectional Diaphyseal and Articular Structure of the Anthropoid Limb Skeleton

本研究旨在确定高等灵长类动物长骨的骨干结构和关节大小与四肢机械负荷的关系，并利用这些信息帮助重建早期类人猿和原始人的形态和行为。这项研究有两个组成部分：(1)测量现存人类和其他灵长类动物前肢和后肢长骨的横截面尺寸；(2)测量化石标本的相同特性，并利用这些数据估计东非中新世和上新世-更新世化石的体重和重建行为。横截面的几何性质将通过计算机断层扫描确定，并通过线性测量和几何转换公式对截面轮廓和关节表面积进行数字化处理。该研究结果将为类人猿骨骼的结构与功能之间的关系提供新的见解，并为早期类人猿和原始人的体型和行为提供新的细节和澄清。

This is a study to determine how the diaphyseal structure and joint size of long bones are related to mechanical loadings of limbs in the higher primates, and to use this information to help reconstruct early hominoid and hominid morphology and behavior. The study has two components: (1) to measure cross- sectional dimensions of long bones of the forelimb and hindlimb in a comparative sample of extant humans and other primates; and, (2) to measure the same properties in fossil specimens and use these data to estimate body mass and reconstruct behavior of East African Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene fossils. Cross- sectional geometric properties will be determined through computed tomography, and digitizing of section contours and articular surface areas through linear measurements and geometric conversion formulae. The results of the study will provide new insights into the relationship between structure and function of the anthropoid skeleton, and new details and clarification of body size and behavior in early hominoids and hominids.