Biren A. Patel, PhD

I am a biological anthropologist with scholarly interests in evolutionary and functional morphology and my research programs investigate a variety of questions about human and non-human primate evolution. In particular, I am interested in better understanding the evolution of primate locomotor behavior, and more specifically the evolution of human and non-human primate hand and foot function.

• Whole-bone shape of hominoid manual proximal phalanges. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2026 Feb; 309(2):245-270.. View in PubMed
• Volume of Operative Maneuverability as a New Measurement in Neuroanatomical Research: A Methodological Quantitative Study and Translational Use in the Operating Room. World Neurosurg. 2025 04; 196:123761.. View in PubMed
• Additional analyses of stem catarrhine and hominoid dental morphology support Kapi ramnagarensis as a stem hylobatid. J Hum Evol. 2025 02; 199:103628.. View in PubMed
• Primate Phenotypes: A Multi-Institution Collection of 3D Morphological Data Housed in MorphoSource. Sci Data. 2024 Dec 18; 11(1):1391.. View in PubMed
• Trabecular bone variation in the gorilla calcaneus. Am J Biol Anthropol. 2024 07; 184(3):e24939.. View in PubMed
• Morphological and evolutionary insights into the keystone element of the human foot’s medial longitudinal arch. Commun Biol. 2023 10 19; 6(1):1061.. View in PubMed
• A geometric morphometric approach to investigate primate proximal phalanx diaphysis shape. Am J Biol Anthropol. 2022 03; 177(3):581-602.. View in PubMed
• Bone volume in the distal calcaneus correlates with body size but not leap frequency in galagids. Am J Biol Anthropol. 2022 01; 177(1):27-38.. View in PubMed
• Evolutionary trends of the lateral foot in catarrhine primates: Contextualizing the fourth metatarsal of Australopithecus afarensis. J Hum Evol. 2021 12; 161:103078.. View in PubMed
• Morphological analysis of new Dryas Monkey specimens from the Central Congo Basin: Taxonomic considerations and an emended diagnosis. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2021 11; 176(3):361-389.. View in PubMed
• Homo naledi pollical metacarpal shaft morphology is distinctive and intermediate between that of australopiths and other members of the genus Homo. J Hum Evol. 2021 09; 158:103048.. View in PubMed
• New Middle Miocene Ape (Primates: Hylobatidae) from Ramnagar, India fills major gaps in the hominoid fossil record. Proc Biol Sci. 2020 09 09; 287(1934):20201655.. View in PubMed
• Differential Regulation of Echinocandin Targets Fks1 and Fks2 in Candida glabrata by the Post-Transcriptional Regulator Ssd1. J Fungi (Basel). 2020 Aug 21; 6(3).. View in PubMed
• Medial Femoral Trochlea Osteochondral Graft: A Quantitative Anatomic Comparison to the Proximal Pole of the Scaphoid. J Wrist Surg. 2020 Aug; 9(4):283-288.. View in PubMed
• Strength properties of extant hominoid hallucal and pollical metapodials. J Hum Evol. 2020 06; 143:102774.. View in PubMed
• Phalangeal curvature in a chimpanzee raised like a human: Implications for inferring arboreality in fossil hominins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 05 26; 117(21):11223-11225.. View in PubMed
• Calcaneal elongation and bone strength in leaping galagids. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2020 03; 171(3):430-438.. View in PubMed
• Getting its feet on the ground: Elucidating Paralouatta’s semi-terrestriality using the virtual morpho-functional toolbox. Frontiers in Earth Science. 2020; 8:79.
• Histovariability in human clavicular cortical bone microstructure and its mechanical implications. J Anat. 2019 11; 235(5):873-882.. View in PubMed
• Evaluation of Articular Surface Similarity of Hemi-Hamate Grafts and Proximal Middle Phalanx Morphology: A 3D Geometric Morphometric Approach. J Hand Surg Am. 2019 Feb; 44(2):121-128.. View in PubMed
• New Sivapithecus specimen from Ramnagar (Jammu & Kashmir), India and a taxonomic revision of Ramnagar hominoids. Journal of Human Evolution. 2019; 135:102665.
• Evolution and function of the hominin forefoot. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 08 28; 115(35):8746-8751.. View in PubMed
• Effects of selective breeding for high voluntary wheel-running behavior on femoral nutrient canal size and abundance in house mice. J Anat. 2018 08; 233(2):193-203.. View in PubMed
• Inter-ray variation in metatarsal strength properties in humans and African apes: Implications for inferring bipedal biomechanics in the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot. J Hum Evol. 2018 08; 121:147-165.. View in PubMed
• Subchondral Bone Radiodensity Patterns in the Glenoid Fossa of Ape and Human Scapulae. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2018 05; 301(5):776-785.. View in PubMed
• Ontogeny of hallucal metatarsal rigidity and shape in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). J Anat. 2018 Jan; 232(1):39-53.. View in PubMed
• Catarrhine hallucal metatarsals from the early Miocene site of Songhor, Kenya. J Hum Evol. 2017 07; 108:176-198.. View in PubMed
• Adaptation to bipedal gait and fifth metatarsal structural properties in Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Homo. C. R. Palevol. 2017; 16(5-6):585-599.
• New sivaladapid primate from Lower Siwalik deposits surrounding Ramnagar (Jammu and Kashmir State), India. J Hum Evol. 2017 01; 102:21-41.. View in PubMed
• The locomotion of Babakotia radofilai inferred from epiphyseal and diaphyseal morphology of the humerus and femur. J Morphol. 2016 09; 277(9):1199-218.. View in PubMed
• Trabecular architecture in the StW 352 fossil hominin calcaneus. J Hum Evol. 2016 08; 97:145-58.. View in PubMed
• An Early Pleistocene human pedal phalanx from Swartkrans, SKX 16699, and the antiquity of the human lateral forefoot. C. R. Palevol. 2016; 15(8):978–987.
• Morphological diversity in the digital rays of primate hands. In: Kivell TL, Lemelin P, Richmond BG, and Schmitt D (editors), The Evolution of the Primate Hand: Anatomical, Developmental, Functional and Paleontological Evidence. 2016; pp. 55-100.
• Distinct functional roles of primate grasping hands and feet during arboreal quadrupedal locomotion. J Hum Evol. 2015 Nov; 88:79-84.. View in PubMed
• Functional aspects of metatarsal head shape in humans, apes, and Old World monkeys. J Hum Evol. 2015 Sep; 86:136-46.. View in PubMed
• Mouse hallucal metatarsal cross-sectional geometry in a simulated fine branch niche. J Morphol. 2015 Jul; 276(7):759-65.. View in PubMed
• Electromyography of crural and pedal muscles in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): Implications for hallucal grasping behavior and first metatarsal morphology in euprimates. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2015 Apr; 156(4):553-64.. View in PubMed
• Functional morphology of the hallucal metatarsal with implications for inferring grasping ability in extinct primates. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2015 Mar; 156(3):327-48.. View in PubMed
• Exploring phylogenetic and functional signals in complex morphologies: the hamate of extant anthropoids as a test-case study. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2015 Jan; 298(1):212-29.. View in PubMed
• Geometric properties and comparative biomechanics of Homo floresiensis mandibles. J Hum Evol. 2014 Mar; 68:36-46.. View in PubMed
• New Lower Siwalik localities near Ramnagar, India: implications for the earliest Asian great apes and other mammalian linages. Select Publications of the Palaeontological Society of India. 2014; 5:353-365.
• A resampling approach and implications for estimating the phalangeal index from unassociated hand bones in fossil primates. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2013 Jun; 151(2):280-9.. View in PubMed
• Humeral cross-sectional shape in suspensory primates and sloths. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2013 Apr; 296(4):545-56.. View in PubMed
• Joint loads in marsupial ankles reflect habitual bipedalism versus quadrupedalism. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e58811.. View in PubMed
• Cercopithecoid primate postcranial fossils from Cooper’s D, South Africa. GeoBios. 2013; 46:381-394.
• Ontogenetic scaling of fore- and hind limb posture in wild chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus). PLoS One. 2013; 8(7):e71020.. View in PubMed
• New primate first metatarsals from the Paleogene of Egypt and the origin of the anthropoid big toe. J Hum Evol. 2012 Jul; 63(1):99-120.. View in PubMed
• Electromyography of wrist and finger flexor muscles in olive baboons (Papio anubis). J Exp Biol. 2012 Jan 01; 215(Pt 1):115-23.. View in PubMed
• The endocranial petrosal anatomy of Bothriogenys (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Anthracotheriidae), and petrosal volume and density comparisons among aquatic and terrestrial artiodactylans and outgroups. Journal Paleontology. 2012; 86:44-50.
• Algorithms to automatically quantify the geometric similarity of anatomical surfaces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Nov 08; 108(45):18221-6.. View in PubMed
• Metatarsal fusion pattern and developmental morphology of the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot: Evidence of adolescence. J Hum Evol. 2011 Jan; 60(1):58-69.. View in PubMed
• Apparent density of the primate calcaneo-cuboid joint and its association with locomotor mode, foot posture, and the “midtarsal break”. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Jun; 142(2):180-93.. View in PubMed
• Functional morphology of cercopithecoid primate metacarpals. J Hum Evol. 2010 Apr; 58(4):320-37.. View in PubMed
• Dynamic pressure patterns in the hands of olive baboons (Papio anubis) during terrestrial locomotion: implications for cercopithecoid primate hand morphology. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2010 Apr; 293(4):710-8.. View in PubMed
• The interplay between speed, kinetics, and hand postures during primate terrestrial locomotion. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Feb; 141(2):222-34.. View in PubMed
• Distal forelimb kinematics in Erythrocebus patas and Papio anubis during walking and galloping. International Journal of Primatology. 2010; 31:191-207.
• Hallucal grasping in Nycticebus coucang: further implications for the functional significance of a large peroneal process. J Hum Evol. 2010 Jan; 58(1):33-42.. View in PubMed
• Terrestrial adaptations in the hands of Equatorius africanus revisited. J Hum Evol. 2009 Dec; 57(6):763-72.. View in PubMed
• Comparative functional morphology of the primate peroneal process. J Hum Evol. 2009 Dec; 57(6):721-31.. View in PubMed
• Not so fast: speed effects on forelimb kinematics in cercopithecine monkeys and implications for digitigrade postures in primates. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2009 Sep; 140(1):92-112.. View in PubMed
• Apparent density patterns in subchondral bone of the sloth and anteater forelimb. Biol Lett. 2008 Oct 23; 4(5):486-9.. View in PubMed
• Telemetered electromyography of peroneus longus in Varecia variegata and Eulemur rubriventer: implications for the functional significance of a large peroneal process. J Hum Evol. 2007 Aug; 53(2):119-34.. View in PubMed
• Body mass distribution and gait mechanics in fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) and patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas). J Hum Evol. 2007 Jul; 53(1):26-40.. View in PubMed
• Bone density spatial patterns in the distal radius reflect habitual hand postures adopted by quadrupedal primates. J Hum Evol. 2007 Feb; 52(2):130-41.. View in PubMed
• Cercopithecoid cervical vertebral morphology and implications for the presence of Theropithecus in early Pleistocene Europe. J Hum Evol. 2007 Feb; 52(2):113-29.. View in PubMed
• Dental metric comparisons of Morotopithecus and Afropithecus: implications for the validity of the genus Morotopithecus. J Hum Evol. 2006 Nov; 51(5):506-12.. View in PubMed
• Habitual use of the primate forelimb is reflected in the material properties of subchondral bone in the distal radius. J Anat. 2006 Jun; 208(6):659-70.. View in PubMed
• Modeling masticatory muscle force in finite element analysis: sensitivity analysis using principal coordinates analysis. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Apr; 283(2):288-99.. View in PubMed
• The hominoid proximal radius: re-interpreting locomotor behaviors in early hominins. J Hum Evol. 2005 Apr; 48(4):415-32.. View in PubMed
• Modeling elastic properties in finite-element analysis: how much precision is needed to produce an accurate model? Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Apr; 283(2):275-87.. View in PubMed
• Form and function of the oblique cord (chorda obliqua) in anthropoid primates. Primates. 2005 Jan; 46(1):47-57.. View in PubMed

• Carlson, Kristian
• Seiffert, Erik
• Jashashvili, Tea
• Powers, Christopher
• Lewton, Kristi
• McGowan, Craig
• Armstrong, David
• Valero-Cuevas, Francisco
• Huttenlocker, Adam
• Finley, James
• Wren, Tishya