Primate evolution: were traits selected for arboreal locomotion or visually directed predation?

Stability During Arboreal Locomotion

Evolution and ecology of directed aerial descent in arboreal ants.

Directed aerial descent (DAD) is used by a variety of arboreal animals to escape predators, to remain in the canopy, and to access resources. Here, we build upon the discovery of DAD in ants of tropical canopies by summarizing its known phylogenetic distribution among ant genera, and within both the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae and the genus Cephalotes. DAD has multiple evolutionary origins in an...

Major Transformations in the Evolution of Primate Locomotion

Compared to other mammalian orders, Primates use an extraordinary diversity of locomotor behaviors, which are made possible by a complementary diversity of musculoskeletal adaptations. Primate locomotor repertoires include various kinds of suspension, bipedalism, leaping, and quadrupedalism using multiple pronograde and orthograde postures and employing numerous gaits such as walking, trotting,...

Arboreal bipedalism in wild chimpanzees: implications for the evolution of hominid posture and locomotion.

Field observations of bipedal posture and locomotion in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) can serve as key evidence for reconstructing the likely origins of bipedalism in the last prehominid human ancestor. This paper reports on a sample of bipedal bouts, recorded ad libitum, in wild chimpanzees in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. The Ruhija community of chimpanzees in...

Humanoid Locomotion Planning for Visually Guided Tasks

*Centro de Investigaci on en Matem aticas, CIMAT, Jalisco s/n. Col. Valenciana, 36240 Guanajuato, Guanajuato, M exico Departamento de Matem aticas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Jalisco s/n. Col. Valenciana, 36240 Guanajuato, Guanajuato, M exico Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing Group, Centro de Investigaci on y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, CINVESTAV, Saltillo, Coah, M exico §LAAS-CNRS, Labora...