Dissertation Research: The Functional Significance of the Anthropoid Postorbital Septum

论文研究：类人猿眶后隔膜的功能意义

• 批准号: 9100523
• 负责人: William Hylander
• 金额: $ 1.15万
• 依托单位: Duke University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1991
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1991-04-01 至 1993-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9100523&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Functional; Significance; Anthropoid

The primary objective of this research is to clarify the role of an anatomical structure known as the postorbital septum. This is a thin sheet of bone which forms the lateral aspect of the rear of the orbit. It is apparently a recently evolved structure which is only found in the cranium of the anthropoids (the higher primates) and the tarsier. While the postorbital septum has been used as a diagnostic criterion of the higher primates for many years, there have been virtually no tests of the various hypotheses which have been put forward to account for its existence. The PIs will undertake a variety of experiments in an attempt to account for the trait's evolution. One explanation which has been advanced is that the sheet of bone serves to isolate muscles which are involved in mastication (those in back of the septum) from the anterior muscles which are involved in vision. This would presumably be of significance to highly visually-oriented animals such as the anthropoids. The PIs will undertake a number of dissections of animals, including anthropoids, to determine the placement of various masticatory muscles relative to the orbit. Results will be plotted and examined as a predictive tool. Another explanation which has been advanced relates the septum to the reduction of strain in the face during mastication. Measurements of bone stress can be carried out using a series of animals already at the Yerkes Primate Center. This research will help to test and clarify the forces which brought the bony septum into existence millions of years ago and understand its functioning in animals today.

这项研究的主要目的是阐明称为后核隔膜的解剖结构的作用。 这是一块细的骨头，形成了轨道后部的侧面。 显然，这是一种最近进化的结构，仅在人类动物（较高灵长类动物）和tarsier的颅骨中发现。 虽然多年来，术后隔膜已被用作较高灵长类动物的诊断标准，但实际上没有对各种假设进行的测试，这些假设已提出来说明其存在。 PI将进行各种实验，以解释特征的发展。 先进的一种解释是，骨骼表可以分离出与视觉相关的前肌肉中涉及咀嚼的肌肉（隔膜后部的肌肉）。 这可能对高度视觉上的动物（例如人类动物）具有重要意义。 PI将进行多种动物的解剖，包括类人，以确定相对于轨道的各种咀嚼肌的放置。 结果将被绘制并检查为预测工具。 已提前的另一个解释将隔隔隔夹与咀嚼过程中脸部菌株的减少有关。 可以使用已经在Yerkes灵长类中心的一系列动物进行骨应力的测量。 这项研究将有助于测试和阐明使骨隔隔成数百万年前存在的力量，并了解当今动物的功能。