Effects of substrate and phylogeny on quadrupedal gait in free-ranging platyrrhines.

摘要: OBJECTIVES Primate diagonal sequence (DS) gaits are often argued to be an adaptation for moving and foraging in the fine-branch niche; however, existing data have come predominantly from laboratory studies that limited taxonomic breadth fail account structural ecological variation of natural substrates. We test extent which substrate diameter orientation influence gait type limb phase free-ranging primates, as well how phylogenetic relatedness might condition response patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS filmed quadrupedal locomotion 11 platyrrhine species at field sites Ecuador Costa Rica measured locomotor substrates using remote sensors. quantified values classified strides by (N = 988 strides). RESULTS Our results show most our sample consistently used DS gaits, regardless or orientation; all taxa also asymmetrical and/or lateral gaits. By incorporating eigenvectors into models, we found significant differences patterns among major clades, suggesting phylogeny may a better predictor than orientation. DISCUSSION generally corroborate but capture additional aspects variability flexibility complexity environments. Overall, suggest not exclusively tailored narrow oblique on arboreal general.