The relative efficacy of the cranium and os coxa for taxonomic assessment in macaques

Bibliographic Data

ID8313617
AuthorsBrittany Kenyon‐flatt (0000-0003-0784-4604, Buffalo Human Evolutionary Morphology Lab, Department of Anthropology University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA), Mark A Conaway (0000-0003-2112-569X, Buffalo Human Evolutionary Morphology Lab, Department of Anthropology University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA), Stephen J Lycett (Department of Anthropology University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA), Noreen Von Craman‐taubadel (0000-0002-5263-3892, Buffalo Human Evolutionary Morphology Lab, Department of Anthropology University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume173
Issue2
Pages350-367
Publication date2020-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.24100
PMID32594518
OpenAlexW3037967561
LanguageEN
References cited87

OBJECTIVES: The cranium is generally considered more reliable than the postcranium for assessing primate taxonomy, although recent research suggests that pelvic shape may be equally reliable. However, little research has focused on intrageneric taxonomic discrimination. Here, we test the relative taxonomic efficacy of the cranium and os coxa for differentiating two macaque species, with and without considering sexual dimorphism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Geometric morphometric analyses were performed on cranial and os coxa landmarks for 119 adult Macaca fascicularis, M. mulatta, and Chlorocebus pygerythrus. Among-group shape variation was examined using canonical variates analyses. Cross-validated discriminant function analysis provided rates of correct group classification. Additionally, average morphological distances were compared with neutral genetic distances. RESULTS: Macaque species were clearly differentiated, both cranially and pelvically, when sex was not considered. Males were more often correctly classified based on the os coxa, while female classification rates were high for both morphologies. Female crania and male os coxa were differentiated approximately the same as genetic distance, while male crania were more similar (convergent), and female os coxa were more divergent than expected based on genetic distance. DISCUSSION: The hypothesis that cranial and os coxal shape can be used to discriminate among macaque species was supported. The cranium was better at differentiating females, while the os coxa was better at differentiating male macaques. Hence, there is no a priori reason for preferring the cranium when assessing intragenetic taxonomic relationships, but the effects of high levels of sexual dimorphism must be corrected for to accurately assess taxonomic signatures

Biology · Crania · Discriminant function analysis · Evolutionary biology · Macaque · Morphometrics · Primate · Sexual dimorphism · Statistics · Taxonomy (biology) · Zoology · Anatomy · Ecology · Morphological variations and asymmetry · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Primate Behavior and Ecology

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