Radio-ulnar deviation of the primate carpus
An X-ray study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22827799 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Françoise Jouffroy (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle), Monique F Medina, Monique Médina |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 83 |
| Issue | 2-3 |
| Pages | 275-289 |
| Publication date | 2002-04-25 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Zeitschrift für Morphologie und Anthropologie (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0044-314X • E-ISSN: 2749-1587 |
| Publisher | Schweizerbart (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1127/zma/83/2002/275 |
| PMID | 12050898 |
| OpenAlex | W2408857863 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 4 |
The lack of contact between the ulna and first row of carpals characterizes the wrist morphology of hominoids as compared to other primates. This distinctive feature--generally interpreted as a significant synapomorphy between humans and other hominoids--was a priori considered to be an indication of an increased capacity for ulnar deviation, allowing a greater diversity of hand movements. This X-ray study aimed to test this hypothesis by comparing the shifting of the carpals throughout radioulnar deviation in eight extant genera endowed with ulno-carpal contact or lacking it. The results show that the amplitude of ulnar deviation is not directly correlated with the presence or absence of an ulno-carpal contact: most ulnar deviation takes place at the antebrachio-carpal joint in those primates that lack an ulno-carpal contact (hominoids), instead of at the mid-carpal joint in primates whose ulna articulates with the triquetral (cercopithecoids, platyrrhines, most strepsirrhines). Analysis of the X-ray suggests that the loss of ulno-carpal contact improved the ability to supinate at the radio-ulnar joints, with correlated unfitness for palmigrade/semidigitigrade walking. This evolutive change, associated with a considerable reduction of the share of body weight carried on the forelimbs, likely cleared the way for either knuckle walking or bipedalism and handiness.
Biology · Carpal bones · Carpal Joint · Primate · Ulna · Ulnar deviation · Wrist · Anatomy · Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation · Paleontology · Peripheral Nerve Disorders · Primate Behavior and Ecology
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| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2008 - 2025 (18) |
| Highly cited | No |