Ontogenetic variation in long bone microstructure in catarrhines and its significance for life history research.
Item
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Title
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Ontogenetic variation in long bone microstructure in catarrhines and its significance for life history research.
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Identifier
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AAI3231974
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identifier
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3231974
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Creator
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McFarlin, Shannon Christa.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Timothy G. Bromage
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Date
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2006
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Anthropology, Physical | Biology, Anatomy
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Abstract
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This research was motivated by an interest in the significance of bone histology for primate life history investigations. Its purpose was to provide a baseline understanding of ontogenetic, regional and taxonomic variability in bone microstructure at the midshaft femur and humerus of Chlorocebus aethiops, Hylobates lar and Pan troglodytes, and to consider the manner in which it reflects species growth patterns. Histological thin sections were imaged in LM and CPL microscopy for assessment of variability in primary bone tissue types, which has been suggested to reflect variability in bone depositional rates across growth stages and among organisms characterized by different overall rates of body growth. Because bone also undergoes architectural modifications during growth, this variability was examined within the context of variation in mechanically-relevant features of bone, including cross-sectional geometry and secondary intracortical remodeling.;Results demonstrated significant variability in primary tissue type proportions across biological age classes. Younger individuals were characterized by higher proportions of faster-forming (e.g., fibrolamellar) tissues, while older individuals were characterized by higher proportions of slower-forming (e.g., lamellar) bone. Interestingly, taxa differed in the timing of this transition, and the particular tissue types observed among individuals of similar biological age. When interpreted within the context of local growth and remodeling history, intra- and interspecific patterns of microstructural development revealed several consistencies with body mass growth patterns reported previously. In some cases, however, results were not in agreement with expectations. With respect to this latter point, this study identified several patterns warranting further investigation, including age and sex variability in vascular patterns, the occurrence of growth marks, and variability in preferred collagen fiber orientation within more broadly-defined tissue 'types', all of which may reflect subtle variations in bone depositional rates during periods of relatively fast or slow overall growth. Results also suggest that teasing apart developmental versus mechanical factors influencing taxonomic and intraskeletal distributions of secondary remodeling should be an important component of future research. Finally, this study provides an important foundation for future studies, and it demonstrates the exciting potential of bone microstructural analyses as an independent line of inquiry into primate life history in paleontological contexts.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
