Sex Dimorphism Of Foot Bones In Rhesus Macaques(Macaca Mulatta) From The Taihang Mountains

The main purpose of the present paper is try to expand the research of foot bones in human and non-human primates to rhesus macaques from the Taihang Mountains. It is desirable to provide basic reference to the evolution of system, early development and sexual determination of non-human primates. Meanwhile it is aimed to accumulate data for basic research and protection of macaque resource.The specimens of phalanges including proximal phalanges, intermediate phalanges and distal phalanges consisted of 45 metatarsal(14 male, 31 female) and 36 phalanges(11 male, 25 female), among which the 36 phalanges(11 male, 25 female) were measured from the skeletons of adult rhesus macaque. Statistical data were analyzed by SPSS version 20.0, with the following methods like ANOVA, multiple discriminant analysis, binary logistic regression and ROC analysis, etc. The main results were as follows:(1)The absolute length of five toes exhibited more significant statistical differences in male than females(P<0.001). The results suggest that it is an effective way to identify the sex of individual with the five length variables of phalanges. It is presumable that sex dimorphism of the five length variables of phalanges is related to the effect of sex hormones during the process of acquired growth and development.(2)Sex dimorphisms of several toe length ratio are significant. Six out of ten toe length ratios show significant statistical differences among different sex groups(P<0.05 or <0.01). The sex dimorphisms are mainly found in low ratio sequence and high-low ratio sequence. The results indicate that the pattern of sex dimorphism is different between finger length ratio and toe length ratio, and is also different between toe length ratio and toe length.(3)There is a significant difference in the fingerlength ratio between macaques and other primates. On the whole, the finger length ratio of macaque from the Taihang Mountains(average 2D:4D=0.824) is significantly lower.(4)The metatarsal had a significantly sex dimorphisms in general and the metatarsal had a sex dimorphisms between side and row to some extent. The sex dimorphisms are different in different variables. The sex dimorphism of length is the most significant among the seven main variables while the sex dimorphism of diaphysis breadths variables is less significant relatively. This result can be interpreted that the development of bones of two sexes is slightly impacted by daily behavior activities, which is different from the pattern of sex difference of metatarsal variable in human.(5) Four kinds of commonly statistical methods used in Sex dimorphism of foot bones in rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta) from the Taihang Mountains difference analysis, it shows that the result of the different statistical methods each have advantages and disadvantages, complement each other, makes the result more clear and perfect.