Morphological Diversity in the Digital Rays of Primate Hands

Abstract

Includes index. This book demonstrates how the primate hand combines both primitive and novel morphology, both general function with specialization, and both a remarkable degree of diversity within some clades and yet general similarity across many others. Across the chapters, different authors have addressed a variety of specific questions and provided their perspectives, but all explore the main themes described above to provide an overarching “primitive primate hand” thread to the book. Each chapter provides an in-depth review and critical account of the available literature, a balanced interpretation of the evidence from a variety of perspectives, and prospects for future research questions. In order to make this a useful resource for researchers at all levels, the basic structure of each chapter is the same, so that information can be easily consulted from chapter to chapter. An extensive reference list is provided at the end of each chapter so the reader has additional resources to address more specific questions or to find specific data. . Foreword; Contents; Contributors; Chapter 1: Introduction; References; Chapter 2: On Primitiveness, Prehensility, and Opposability of the Primate Hand: The Contributions of Frederic Wood Jones and John Russell Napier; 1 Introduction; 2 Primitiveness of the Primate Hand; 3 Prehensility and Opposability of the Primate Hand; 4 Final Remarks on Contributions by Frederic Wood Jones and John Napier; References; Part I: Anatomical and Developmental Evidence; Chapter 3: The Primate Wrist; 1 Introduction; 2 The Primitive Primate Carpus; 3 Primate Carpal Ossification; 4 General Carpal Function 5 The Antebrachiocarpal Joint6 Scaphoid-Os Centrale Fusion; 7 The Pisiform: It Is Not a Sesamoid!; 8 Radial Carpometacarpal Joints; 9 The Midcarpal Joints; 10 The Ulnar Carpometacarpal Joints; 11 Conclusions; 12 Future Directions; References; Chapter 4: Morphological Diversity in the Digital Rays of Primate Hands; 1 Introduction; 2 Evolutionary History of Hand Rays; 3 Lengths and Proportions; 4 Metacarpals; 4.1 General Morphology; 4.2 Morphological Diversity; 5 Proximal and Intermediate Phalanges; 5.1 General Morphology; 5.2 Morphological Diversity; 5.3 Phalangeal Curvature 6 Distal Phalanges6.1 General Morphology; 6.2 Tegula-Bearing Distal Phalanges; 6.3 Morphological Diversity; 7 Future Directions; References; Chapter 5: The Role of Genes and Development in the Evolution of the Primate Hand; 1 Introduction; 2 Overview of Vertebrate Development; 3 Embryonic Patterning of the Limb Skeleton; 3.1 Setting the Stage; 3.1.1 Establishment of Limb Fields; 3.1.2 Limb Identity; 3.1.3 Initiation of Limb Bud Outgrowth; 3.2 Proximodistal Patterning of the Limb; 3.3 Proximodistal Patterning in the Autopod; 3.4 Anteroposterior Patterning in the Autopod; 3.4.1 Thumbness 3.5 Dorsoventral Patterning of the Autopod4 Postembryonic Growth and Development in the Limb Skeleton; 5 Soft Tissue Patterning in the Vertebrate Limb; 5.1 Limb Muscle Patterning; 5.2 Limb Tendon and Ligament Development; 5.3 Limb Vasculature Development; 5.4 Limb Nerve Development; 5.5 Limb Integumentary Structures; 6 Discussion; 6.1 The Developmental Origin(s) of Limb Phenotypic Variation; 6.2 The Structure of Limb Phenotypic Covariation; 6.3 Covariation with Body Size; 6.4 Covariation within the Forelimb and Hand; 6.5 Covariation Between Fore- and Hind Limb; 7 Future Directions; References Chapter 6: Organization and Evolution of the Neural Control of the Hand in Primates: Motor Systems, Sensory Feedback, and Laterality1 Introduction; 2 Manual Skill of Primates; 3 Organization of Motor Control Areas in the Central Nervous System and Their Contribution to Hand Movements; 4 Variation Among Primates in the Neural Organization of Hand Representation; 5 Sensory Aspects of the Neural Organization of the Hand; 6 Lateralization in Hand Preference and the Brain; 7 Conclusion; 8 Future Directions; References; Chapter 7: Anatomy, Function, and Evolution of the Primate Hand Musculature