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Parallel emergence of true handedness in the evolution of marsupials and placentals
Citation
Giljov, A and Karenina, K and Ingram, J and Malashichev, Y, Parallel emergence of true handedness in the evolution of marsupials and placentals, Current Biology, 25, (14) pp. 1878-1884. ISSN 0960-9822 (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.cub.2015.05.043
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated a close resemblance
between some handedness patterns in great
apes and humans [1–3]. Despite this, comparative
systematic investigations of manual lateralization in
non-primate mammals are very limited [4, 5]. Among
mammals, robust population-level handedness is
still considered to be a distinctive human trait [6, 7].
Nevertheless, the comprehensive understanding of
handedness evolution in mammals cannot be
achieved without considering the other large
mammalian lineage, marsupials. This study was designed
to investigate manual lateralization in non-primate
mammals using the methodological approach
applied in primate studies. Here we show that
bipedal macropod marsupials display left-forelimb
preference at the population level in a variety of behaviors
in the wild. In eastern gray and red kangaroos,
we found consistent manual lateralization
across multiple behaviors. This result challenges
the notion that in mammals the emergence of strong
‘‘true’’ handedness is a unique feature of primate
evolution. The robust lateralization in bipedal marsupials
stands in contrast to the relatively weak
forelimb preferences in marsupial quadrupeds,
emphasizing the role of postural characteristics in
the evolution of manual lateralization as previously
suggested for primates [8–10]. Comparison of forelimb
preferences in seven marsupial species leads
to the conclusion that the interspecies differences
in manual lateralization cannot be explained by
phylogenetic relations, but rather are shaped by
ecological adaptations. Species’ postural characteristics,
especially bipedality, are argued to be instrumental
in the origin of handedness in mammals.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Evolutionary biology |
Research Field: | Biological adaptation |
Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences |
UTAS Author: | Ingram, J (Ms Janeane Ingram) |
ID Code: | 101542 |
Year Published: | 2015 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 38 |
Deposited By: | Geography and Environmental Studies |
Deposited On: | 2015-06-25 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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