Traumatic injuries in a skeletal collection of Red Colobus (Piliocolobus badius preussi)

Tara J. Chapman, Universite Libre de Bruxelles
Scott S. Legge, Macalester College

Abstract

Trauma is described in longbones from a skeletal sample of Piliocolobus badius preussi housed at the Powell-Cotton Museum, Birchington, Kent, UK. Collected in the 1930s, they represent specimens from a time prior to a great deal of human/primate interaction in west central Africa. Frequencies of healed traumatic fractures have not been described for wild populations of this species from Cameroon. The data presented here will allow for a better understanding of the types of trauma that are survivable. Observations are made on the humeri, radii, ulnae, femora, tibiae, and fibulae for 28 individuals (7 males, 21 females). The type of trauma is characterized, and frequencies are calculated based on both sex and bone(s) involved. The fracture frequency is 29% for males and 19% for females. Both males and females sustained severe traumatic injuries with the majority of injuries to the femur (83%). Several complications are observed associated with the trauma, including traumatic myositis ossificans, pseudoarthrosis, and traumatic arthritis. Possible causes of the high frequency of trauma observed are also discussed. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Volume 129, Supplement 42: 74 (Abstract).