The vertebral column in humans and selected non-human primates and the functional structure of its transitional elements

• Main Author: Bukenya, M E E
• Other Authors: Rawdon, B B
• Format: Doctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4400

Bibliography: leaves 145-162. === This study applies morphometric analyses to the thoracic vertebral column of primates. Vertebral counts are conducted and vertebral patterns examined. The sample for morphometric measurements consists of 112 humans, 27 gorillas, 22 champanzees, 8 orang-utans, 68 vervets and 77 baboons but for the counts the numbers are much higher. The six species exhibit orthograde (human), semi-orthograde (chimpanzee and gorilla), pronograde (baboon and vervet) and suspensory (orang-utan) patterns of locomotion. Measurements of vertebral components are taken on the 7th to 21st vertebrae (C7-L2 in humans). Various ratios are calculated and standardised by the species body weight. The Spearman Rank Correlation Test and the Chi-square Test indicate no sexual dimorphism in respectively morphometric and counts data, and therefore both sexes are pooled.