Functions of the Hand in Primates

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 Vertebra…