Form and function of the primate cervical vertebral column
Results show that cervical vertebral morphology does not significantly covary with differences in joint mobility. Rather, they implicate the critical role of ligaments and muscles in facilitating head mobility. Results of the kinematics study show that the neck plays a role in maintaining head stability during locomotion. However, the kinematic data do not significantly correlate with morphological variation among primate species. Given the negative results of the extant morphological analyses, it is difficult to apply them to the fossil record. As such, the functional significance of the disparate morphologies found in the hominin fossil record remain ambiguous.
- Author (aut): Grider-Potter, Neysa
- Thesis advisor (ths): Kimbel, William
- Committee member: Raichlen, David
- Committee member: Schwartz, Gary
- Committee member: Ward, Carol
- Publisher (pbl): Arizona State University