TERRESTRIAL ADAPTATIONS IN THE POSTCRANIAL SKELETONS OF GUENONS

Arboreal and semiterrestrial guenons show similar osteological feature s of the limbs across a wide range of species, environments, and geogr aphy, while the more terrestrially committed guenons exhibit greater m orphological divergence. An ecomorphological comparison of two sympatr ic guenons living in Kibale Forest, Uganda, reveals an array of anatom ical adaptations for terrestriality in the limbs of Cercopithecus lhoe sti similar to those found in Erythrocebus patas. In contrast, Cercopi thecus aethiops, although also frequent users of the terrestrial envir onment, generally exhibit fewer morphological adaptations characterist ic of a terrestrial lifestyle. It appears that significant morphologic al modification for terrestriality has occurred twice within the diver se radiation of living guenons with C. aethiops perhaps representing a third group in the making. (C) 1944 Wiley-Liss, Inc.