Experimental Studies on Primate Locomotion

本研究的主要目的是确定适应性 肌肉和骨骼特征区分人类的意义 与非人类灵长类动物的区别，并区分一种灵长类动物， 另这将能够更准确地重建 古代灵长类动物的生活方式，特别是 人类大多数关于灵长类祖先的有影响力的理论 生活方式和特征的适应意义 人类、猿和猴子的区别依赖于 确定现存灵长类动物之间的结构差异 它们的行为不同。但是，结构和 如果没有功能的缺失，行为仍然是脆弱的。 调查人员的方法提供了这一缺失的要素， 专注于遥测的体内生理技术 肌电图（适当时与测力板和 运动分析）。对非人类灵长类动物和人类进行的研究 在有规律的运动和自愿行为中， 在这些行为中个体肌肉的实际作用， 解释许多肌肉和骨骼的必要数据 包括人类在内的灵长类动物的特殊化。bone的解释 特征将促进更准确地重建化石 生活方式;对人类独特的肌肉特征的解释将 这些行为导致了 重建我们种族的特征

The primary objective of this research is to determine the adaptive significance of muscular and bony features distinguishing humans from nonhuman primates, and distinguishing one primate from another. This will enable a more accurate reconstruction of the lifestyles of ancient primates, particularly the ancestors of humans. Most of the influential theories about ancestral primate ways of life and the adaptive significance of features distinguishing humans, apes, and monkeys have relied on the determination of structural differences between living primates that differ in their behaviors. But, the link between structure and behavior remains tenuous without the missing element of function. The approach of the investigators provides this missing element by concentrating on the in vivo physiological technique of telemetered electromyography (combined, when appropriate, with force-plate and motion analyses). Studies conducted on nonhuman primates and humans during regular locomotor and voluntary behaviors will establish the actual roles of individual muscles in these behaviors and provide data necessary to explain many of the muscular and bony specializations of primates, including humans. Explanation of bony features will promote more accurate reconstruction of fossil lifestyles; explanations of uniquely human muscular traits will point to those behaviors that led to the major anatomical reconstruction characterizing our species.