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A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Williams, SH; Wall, CE; Vinyard, CJ; Hylander, WL
Published in: Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology
July 2002

Among primates, some highly gummivorous species habitually gouge trees to elicit exudate flow whereas others scrape the hardened gums from trees. These foraging behaviors are thought to require high external forces at the anterior dentition. In this study, we test whether skull form in gouging and scraping galagids corresponds to this suggested need to produce these higher external forces and to resist increased internal loads in the jaws. We find few consistent morphological patterns linking skull form and the generation of high forces during gouging. However, there is some tendency for gougers and scrapers to show increased load resistance capabilities in their mandibles. Future research on the mechanical properties of trees exploited by these species and on jaw function during gouging and scraping will improve our understanding of the mechanical demands of gum feeding on the galagid skull form.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology

DOI

EISSN

1421-9980

ISSN

0015-5713

Publication Date

July 2002

Volume

73

Issue

4

Start / End Page

197 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • Skull
  • Resins, Plant
  • Male
  • Jaw
  • Galago
  • Female
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Dentition
  • Body Weight
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Williams, S. H., Wall, C. E., Vinyard, C. J., & Hylander, W. L. (2002). A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids. Folia Primatologica; International Journal of Primatology, 73(4), 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1159/000065429
Williams, Susan H., Christine E. Wall, Christopher J. Vinyard, and William L. Hylander. “A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids.Folia Primatologica; International Journal of Primatology 73, no. 4 (July 2002): 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1159/000065429.
Williams SH, Wall CE, Vinyard CJ, Hylander WL. A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids. Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology. 2002 Jul;73(4):197–209.
Williams, Susan H., et al. “A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids.Folia Primatologica; International Journal of Primatology, vol. 73, no. 4, July 2002, pp. 197–209. Epmc, doi:10.1159/000065429.
Williams SH, Wall CE, Vinyard CJ, Hylander WL. A biomechanical analysis of skull form in gum-harvesting galagids. Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology. 2002 Jul;73(4):197–209.
Journal cover image

Published In

Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology

DOI

EISSN

1421-9980

ISSN

0015-5713

Publication Date

July 2002

Volume

73

Issue

4

Start / End Page

197 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • Skull
  • Resins, Plant
  • Male
  • Jaw
  • Galago
  • Female
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Dentition
  • Body Weight
  • Biomechanical Phenomena