Ontogeny of muscle mechanical advantage in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Cebus apella)

Abstract

AbstractTerrestrial locomotion requires that animals maintain postural stability against the flexing force of gravity. To counteract volume/area relationships that limit muscle force and may compromise stability, larger animals increase the effective mechanical advantage of their extensor musculature by walking on more extended limbs and showing allometric increases in extensor muscle lever arm lengths. Assuming these size‐related principles are uniform, similar adaptations should characterize ontogenetic increases in size. Previous research on non‐primate mammals has shown, however, that extensor muscle mechanical advantage is greater early in ontogeny and decreases with negative allometry during growth. This study extended this work by investigating patterns of relative elbow lever arm growth in two capuchin monkeys, Cebus albifrons and Cebus apella. Unlike previously studied mammals, growing capuchin monkeys face unique anatomical constraints, including relatively long limb bones and positively allometric limb growth. These constraints could augment the flexing torque of gravity at the limb joints and require compensatory increases in extensor muscle mechanical advantage as size increases through growth. Forearm length and the length of elbow extensor and flexor muscle lever arms were measured in longitudinal radiographic series of growing capuchin monkeys. In contrast to other mammals, all lengths scaled to body mass with positive allometry. Anatomical mechanical advantage (lever arm length/forelimb length) scaled with negative allometry, however, matching the non‐primate mammalian trend. Greater muscle mechanical advantage during early locomotion may help young mammals overcome relatively weak extensor muscles and other growth‐related limits on locomotor performance. Additional data on ontogenetic changes in gait dynamics and musculoskeletal growth are required to validate this hypothesis.