现生太行山猕猴与猕猴化石骨指数的比较

Comparison of the Bone Index Between Living Macaca mulatta and Fossil Macaques

为探讨现生太行山猕猴与猕猴化石骨指数的差异,对太行山猕猴与广西崇左早更新世猕猴化石的肢间指数(Intermembral index,IM)、臂指数(Brachial index,BI)、股指数(Crural index,CI)和股骨粗壮指数(Robusticity index,RI)等指数进行比较。结果表明,猕猴化石IM值(96)高于太行山猕猴,BI值(94.5)和CI值(88.5)均低于太行山猕猴,推测该猕猴化石在早更新世时期可能地栖生活,适合于陆地四足行走,同时也验证了太行山猕猴主要为半树栖生活。结合对猕猴化石伴生哺乳动物习性的分析,推测广西崇左早更新世的气候温暖潮湿并有一定的水域,植被以森林和灌木为主,有局部的草地或草坡,其自然环境非常适宜高等灵长类生息繁衍。

In this paper, intermembral index （IM）, brachial index （BI）, crural index （CI） and robusticity index （RI） were compared between Macaca rnulatta from the Taihang Mountains and macaque fossils from the Early Pleistocene Queque Cave site, Chongzuo, Guangxi. The results show that the IM （96） of macaque fossil is higher than in living Macaca mulatta and that the BI （94.5） and CI （88.5） indices are lower in fossils. Inferring from primate movement type, macaque fossils may have lived on the ground and were suitable for quadrupedism, and that living Macaca mulatta may be partly arboreal. Combining life habits of mammal fossils including this macaque this evidence suggests that the climate of Early Pleistocene in Chongzuo, Guangxi was warm, humid and had plentiful water, and the vegetation was dominated by forest and shrubs with grassy slopes which were suitable for higher primates to live.