Latitudinal and insular variation of skull size in crab-eating macaques (primates, Cercopithecidae: Macaca fascicularis).

Macaca fascicularis is broadly distributed in Southeast Asia across 30 degrees of latitude and 35 degrees of longitude (Indochinese Peninsula, Isthmus of Kra, Malay Peninsula, Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands, Philippine Islands, and numerous small, neighboring islands). The range is divisible into 1) a core area comprised of mainland Southeast Asia, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java (large land masses interconnected during the last glacial maximum, 18,000 B.P.); 2) shallow-water fringing islands, which are smaller islands connected to the core area during the last glacial maximum; and 3) deep-water fringing islands, which are peripheral islands not connected to the core area during the last glacial maximum. Skull length was used to study effects of latitude and insularity on patterns of size variation. The data are from 802 adult M. fascicularis specimens from 140 core-area localities, 63 shallow-water islands, and 29 deep-water islands. Sex-specific polynomial regressions of skull length on latitude were used to describe skull length variation in the core area. These regressions served as standards for evaluating variation among samples from shallow-water and deep-water islands. The core area exhibits Bergmannian latitudinal size clines through most of the species range. Thus, skull length decreases from about 8 degrees S (Java) to the equator (Sumatra and Borneo), then increases as far north as about 13 degrees N (Isthmus of Kra). Farther north, to the northernmost Indochinese localities at about 17 degrees N, skull length in M. fascicularis decreases with increasing latitude, contrary to Bergmann's rule. Latitudinal size variation in shallow-water fringing islands generally parallels that in the core area. However, skull length tends to be smaller than in the core area at similar latitudes. Deep-water fringing islands are markedly more variable, with relatively small specimens in the Lesser Sunda Islands and relatively large specimens in the Nicobar Islands. These analyses illustrate how a primate species may vary in response to latitudinal temperature variation and to isolation.

Ratios as a size adjustment in morphometrics.

Simple ratios in which a measurement variable is divided by a size variable are commonly used but known to be inadequate for eliminating size correlations from morphometric data. Deficiencies in the simple ratio can be alleviated by incorporating regression coefficients describing the bivariate relationship between the measurement and size variables. Recommendations have included: 1) subtracting the regression intercept to force the bivariate relationship through the origin (intercept-adjusted ratios); 2) exponentiating either the measurement or the size variable using an allometry coefficient to achieve linearity (allometrically adjusted ratios); or 3) both subtracting the intercept and exponentiating (fully adjusted ratios). These three strategies for deriving size-adjusted ratios imply different data models for describing the bivariate relationship between the measurement and size variables (i.e., the linear, simple allometric, and full allometric models, respectively). Algebraic rearrangement of the equation associated with each data model leads to a correctly formulated adjusted ratio whose expected value is constant (i.e., size correlation is eliminated). Alternatively, simple algebra can be used to derive an expected value function for assessing whether any proposed ratio formula is effective in eliminating size correlations. Some published ratio adjustments were incorrectly formulated as indicated by expected values that remain a function of size after ratio transformation. Regression coefficients incorporated into adjusted ratios must be estimated using least-squares regression of the measurement variable on the size variable. Use of parameters estimated by any other regression technique (e.g., major axis or reduced major axis) results in residual correlations between size and the adjusted measurement variable. Correctly formulated adjusted ratios, whose parameters are estimated by least-squares methods, do control for size correlations. The size-adjusted results are similar to those based on analysis of least-squares residuals from the regression of the measurement on the size variable. However, adjusted ratios introduce size-related changes in distributional characteristics (variances) that differentially alter relationships among animals in different size classes.

Assessment of pancreatic islet-cell population in the hyperglycemic athymic nude mouse: immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and hormonal studies.

Previous studies in diabetic animal models have demonstrated altered pancreatic islet-cell populations. To further characterize the diabetic syndrome in our athymic nude mouse colony, we studied the population of endocrine cells in pancreatic islets of 4-week-old normoglycemic and 8-week-old hyperglycemic athymic nude (nu/nu) mice using immunohistochemistry, morphometry, and electron microscopy. In normoglycemic 4-week athymic nu/nu mice, the proportions of B (insulin-secreting) cells and A (glucagon-secreting) cells were similar to those in control Balb/c mice; however, the D (somatostatin-secreting) cells were significantly decreased in nu/nu mice. The populations of B and A cells appeared to be normal in hyperglycemic 8-week-old nu/nu mice while there was a significant increase in the proportion of D cells when compared with the proportion in Balb/c mice. Electron microscopic studies indicated that the appearance of B and A cells was similar in the 8-week-old hyperglycemic nu/nu and in controls; however, the D cells appeared to be enlarged and were finely packed with electron-dense secretory granules. Radioimmunoassays of the pancreatic content (micrograms/g fresh pancreas) of insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin in pancreata in 8-week-old normal Balb/c and hyperglycemic athymic nude mice were similar; however, the somatostatin content was significantly increased in the 8-week-old hyperglycemic nu/nu mice compared with age and sex-matched controls. These results demonstrate an altered D cell population and an increase in somatostatin levels in the pancreatic islets of the hyperglycemic athymic nude mouse animal model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humidity as a source of measurement error in osteometrics.

A simple experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that variation in humidity causes expansion of bone and, thereby, affects measurements of dried, preserved skulls. The experiment consisted of subjecting ten macaque skulls to increased humidity for 24 hours. Measurements of nine skull dimensions taken immediately before and after humidification revealed a statistically significant treatment effect of increased skull size with increased humidity. The length of the molar tooth row increased by about 0.1 mm (0.50%) while the greatest length of the skull increased by about 0.9 mm (0.57%). The specimens returned to their original dimensions within 1-2 days after being removed from the humidity chamber. These results confirm the impression gained by the practical experience of measuring museum specimens in different locations and environments. It appears that bony changes associated with humidity differences represent a real, though minor, source of measurement error in osteometrics.

African fossil tali: further multivariate morphometric studies.

Analysis of measurements from the tali of 21 individual fossil primates from Africa shows that the specimens fall into five clearly defined groups. Accordingly, these specimens have been included as groups along with extant species in a subsequent canonical analysis thus allowing the fossils to play their part in the determination of the canonical separations. The results of this procedure show that the five fossil groups lie in a part of the canonical space not occupied by any extant African primate. Their positions are between the envelope of Asiatic apes (Hylobates and Pongo) and the envelope of African forms near the edge which contains Pan and Papio. One fossil group is so similar to Hylobates that its talus may have functioned in locomotion in a parallel manner. Others lie near to Pongo in directions proceeding towards Pan and Papio and it is possible that this similarity may indicate remnants of morphological adaptation for climbing in these fossils. At the same time, however, individual specimens are closer to one or another of the extant groups and this considerable spread suggests that the locomotor adaptations as evidenced by talar morphology, of the primate fauna in Africa, may have been very different from those of the present day. This would not the inconsistent with the different habitats, floras and non-primate faunas that may have characterized the East African scene at these earlier times. Particular fossils from Olduvai and Kromdraai that are supposed to be australopithecine and therefore bipeds, are confirmed (Oxnard, '72; Lisowski et al., '74) as being totally different from man in their talar morphology and essentially rather similar to the majority of the other fossil tali examined.