Allometry of the Long Bones of Closely Related Macaques

Abstract

In an attempt to investigate the relationships between ontogenetic, static adult and interspecific allometry, long limb bones of closely related macaques (Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca fuscata fuscata and Macaca fuscata yakui) were studied. Sex differences of intralimb allometry were also investigated. Principal component analyses were applied to the maximum length of bones to provide multivariate assessments of relationships between ontogenetic and static adult allometries. Static adult and ontogenetic allometries were different in M. fuscata and M. mulatta, but coincided in M. fascicularis. In interspecific comparison of ontogenetic and static adult allometries, M. fascicularis showed a unique allometric tendency. Analyses of bivariate allometries revealed that sexual dimorphism was a result of ontogenetic scaling (time hypermorphosis). The difference between subspecies of Japanese macaques (M. fuscata fuscata and M. fuscata yakui) was also explained by ontogenetic scaling. A vertical transposition was observed in the ontogenetic patterns of interlimb allometries among the three species. This relationship produced an interspecific positive allometry of the hindlimb compared with the forelimb, which differed from the general trend among nonhuman primates.