Diet, feeding behavior, and jaw architecture of Taï monkeys: Congruence and chaos in the realm of functional morphology. Issue 1 (3rd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McGraw, W. Scott; Daegling, David J.
• Is Part Of: Evolutionary anthropology. Volume 29:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 14
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2019-10-03
• Subjects: biomechanics -- ecology -- fossils -- jaws -- primates; Human evolution -- Periodicals; Anthropology -- Periodicals; Physical anthropology -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; Homme -- Évolution -- Périodiques; Anthropologie -- Périodiques; Écologie humaine -- Périodiques; 599.905
• DOI: 10.1002/evan.21799
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1060-1538

Abstract

Abstract: We review feeding and mandibular anatomy in a community of West African monkeys. We use field observations, food material property data, and skeletal specimens from the Ivory Coast's Taï Forest to explore the factors that shape mandibular architecture in colobines and cercopithecines. Despite excellent geographic control across our sample, the fit between bone form (as conventionally described) and functional activity (as we perceive it) is not spectacular. We present a thought experiment to assess how well we could reconstruct diet in the Taï monkeys if we only had skeletons and teeth to study. This exercise indicated that we would be correct about half the time. Our analyses reinforce the notion that diet is anything but a monolithic variable and that better success at relating mandibular form to food must incorporate information on ingestive and processing behavior, geometric and material properties of foods, and both material and structural data on jaws themselves.