Locomotor behavior and skeletal morphology of the odd-nosed monkeys.

Abstract

The odd-nosed monkeys are different from other Old World monkeys in having suspensory and vertical climbing behaviors as a significant portion of their locomotor and positional behaviors. This study examined the relationship between their unique locomotor behaviors and skeletal morphology. The results indicated that odd-nosed monkeys differed from other Old World monkeys in aspects of their forelimb morphology and intermembral index, approaching the conditions seen in apes and overlapping with those of atelines. Rhinopithecus was also shown to be different from other odd-nosed monkeys in its skeletal morphology.