Patterns of quadrupedal locomotion in a vertical clinging and leaping primate (Propithecus coquereli) with implications for understanding the functional demands of primate quadrupedal locomotion.
OBJECTIVES
Many primates exhibit a suite of characteristics that distinguish their quadrupedal gaits from non-primate mammals including the use of a diagonal sequence gait, a relatively protracted humerus at touchdown, and relatively high peak vertical forces on the hindlimbs compared to the forelimbs. These characteristics are thought to have evolved together in early, small-bodied primates possibly in response to the mechanical demands of navigating and foraging in a complex arboreal environment. It remains unclear, however, whether primates that employ quadrupedalism only rarely demonstrate the common primate pattern of quadrupedalism or instead use the common non-primate pattern or an entirely different mechanical pattern from either group.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study compared the kinematics and kinetics of two habitually quadrupedal primates (Lemur catta and Varecia variegata) to those of a dedicated vertical clinger and leaper (Propithecus coquereli) during bouts of quadrupedal walking.


RESULTS
All three species employed diagonal sequence gaits almost exclusively, displayed similar degrees of humeral protraction, and exhibited lower vertical peak forces in the forelimbs compared to the hindlimb.


DISCUSSION
From the data in this study, it is possible to reject the idea that P. coquereli uses a non-primate pattern of quadrupedal walking mechanics. Nor do they use an entirely different mechanical pattern from either most primates or most non-primates during quadrupedal locomotion. These findings provide support for the idea that this suite of characteristics is adaptive for the challenges of arboreal locomotion in primates and that these features of primate locomotion may be basal to the order or evolved independently in multiple lineages including indriids. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:644-652, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
['Granatosky|Michael C|MC|', 'Tripp|Cameron H|CH|', 'Fabre|Anne-Claire|AC|', 'Schmitt|Daniel|D|']
D000818:Animals D000885:Anthropology, Physical D005075:Biological Evolution D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena D005260:Female D005552:Forelimb D006614:Hindlimb D008297:Male D011443:Strepsirhini D016138:Walking
arboreal evolution experimental biology strepsirrhines