Doctoral Dissertation Research: Generation and Evaluation of Body Mass Prediction Equations Using Articular Surface Areas of the Primate Tarsus

一个物种最基本的描述之一是它的体重，这与生活史，饮食，运动模式和许多其他生态因素密切相关。尽管身体质量在物种生态学中处于中心地位，但仍然很难根据化石记录中保存完好的元素（特别是牙齿和骨骼）可靠地重建身体质量。该项目将使用已知体重的大样本，通过牙科和骨骼microCT扫描测量评估体重预测的可靠性。这些测量值和体重之间的关系将被检查，并与以前发表的结果进行比较。该项目还提供了与研究生合作的机会，以及与本科生的培训和合作。培训将包括microCT扫描，数字准备，测量协议和统计分析。为该项目收集的MicroCT数据将使用免费的在线存储库公开提供，允许广泛访问以前无法获得的材料。本研究的数字化标本可以很容易地作为有价值的教学工具。本项目旨在探讨身体质量和跗骨关节面之间的关系，重点是广泛的灵长类类群。将对跗骨元件进行microCT或激光扫描，以便数字测量关节面面积。主要目的是通过解决是否改善预测变量（关节面面积）的功能理解允许生成更可靠的体重预测方程（BMPE）来改善体重预测的理论基础。该目的将通过以下方式实现：1）评估不同关节关节表面面积相对于现存分类群中的体重的比例关系，2）从关节关节表面面积生成新的体重预测方程，用于与先前公布的BMPE进行比较，和3）从具有相关和纵向身体质量数据的标本生成新的BMPE，以与从缺乏相关身体质量数据的标本生成的BMPE进行比较。海量数据这些分析将为研究的两个后续部分提供信息，1）大样本化石灵长类动物的体重预测，以及2）在灵长类动物多样化的重要阶段详细检查体重进化。

One of the most fundamental descriptors of a species is its body mass, which is strongly related to life history, diet, mode of locomotion, and many other ecological factors. Despite its centrality to a species' ecology, body mass remains difficult to reconstruct reliably from elements that preserve well in the fossil record, specifically teeth and bones. This project will assess the reliability of body mass prediction from dental and skeletal microCT scan measurements using a large sample of specimens with known body masses. The relationships between these measurements and body mass will be examined and compared to previously published results. This project also provides opportunities for collaboration with fellow graduate students, and training of and collaboration with undergraduates. Training will consist of microCT scanning, digital preparation, measurement protocols, and statistical analyses. MicroCT data collected for this project will be made publicly available using a free online repository, permitting wide access to previously unavailable material. Specimens digitized for this study could readily serve as valuable teaching tools.This project seeks to explore the relationship between body mass and the joint articular surfaces of the tarsus with a focus on a wide range of primate taxa. Tarsal elements will be microCT- or laser-scanned so that joint articular surface areas can be digitally measured. The primary objective is to improve the theoretical foundation for body mass prediction by addressing whether an improved functional understanding of predictor variables (articular surface areas) permits the generation of more reliable body mass prediction equations (BMPEs). This objective will be accomplished by 1) assessing the scaling relationships of different joint articular surface areas relative to body mass in extant taxa, 2) generating novel body mass prediction equations from joint articular surface areas for comparison to previously published BMPEs, and 3) generating novel BMPEs from specimens with associated and longitudinal body mass data for comparison to BMPEs generated from specimens lacking associated body mass data. These analyses will inform two subsequent portions of the study, 1) body mass prediction for a large sample of fossil primates, and 2) a detailed examination of body mass evolution during important stages of primate diversification.