The relationship between forelimb morphology and behaviour in North American carnivores (Carnivora)

We tested the validity of previously described relationships between foreli mb structure and behaviour in mammals by measuring the forelimbs of 22 spec ies of North American carnivores. Nine ratios were calculated from these me asurements and made independent of the effects of allometry and phylogeny t hrough the use of log-transformed regressions and independent contrasts ana lysis. The ratios were then directly compared with two behavioural traits: arboreal locomotion and vertebrate predation. (Only five of the nine ratios exhibited a significant relationship with arboreal locomotion and three wi th vertebrate predation. It was concluded that the brachial index, relative size of the olecranon process, and total forelimb robusticity may be relia ble predictors of arboreal locomotion, and that the brachial index, relativ e size of the olecranon process, and radial robusticity may be accurate pre dictors of vertebrate predation. The data also suggest that the morphology trf the lower forelimb may be an important indicator of prey-capture and fe eding behaviour in carnivores and could be used in conjunction with craniod ental variables to extrapolate predatory behaviour of extinct species.