Reconstructing Behavior in the Primate Fossil Record (Advances in Primatology)

This volume brings together a series of papers that address the topic of reconstructing behavior in the primate fossil record. Here is offered a review of broad issues related to reconstructing various aspects of behavior - such as diet and social systems - from very different types of evidence. For example: comparative analysis and adaptation, ontogenetic evidence, paleoenvironmental and paleo-community analysis, experimental functional analysis, and comparative socioecology. Hopefully, the reader will gain a perspective on the various types of evidence that can be brought to bear on reconstructing behavior, the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, and, perhaps, new approaches to the topic. Authors review not only the types of evidence that can be used to reconstruct behavior, but also the limitations of the evidence, only emphasizing the weakness of behavioral reconstruction as a basis and inspiration for further research.