ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some methods used in the analysis of functional morphology in primates. It reviews certain research strategies that are available and assesses the extent to which it may provide new insights into problems of characterization of shape and architecture, especially within the framework of evolutionary adaptation of biological function. To more classical anatomical methods, there can be added a number of modern mathematical and physical tools which may aid in the understanding of functional morphology within an evolutionary framework. Primate evolution, as seen from the morphological viewpoint, is traditionally an observational, descriptive, and interpretative science. Researches has been carried out by a number of workers and it show that an adequate biological basis for functional morphological studies can be provided in the absence of the more technical investigations. Calculating aids have allowed more detailed investigation of allometric and correlative properties of biological characters by multivariate techniques.
