Maier W
Lehrstuhl für Spezielle Zoologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen.
Z Morphol Anthropol. 1993 Dec;79(3):279-99.
Both ontogenetically and phylogenetically the facial skull of primates consists of two components: the endocranial nasal capsule, and the exocranial membrane bones. The cartilaginous nasal capsule of the fetal period constitutes the framework for the nasal cavity, and it also functions as an expansive basis for the developing facial skull. In adult animals, its ossified parts form the fragile ethmoid bone. The structure of the nasal capsule is determined on the one hand by the spatial requirements of the orbits and of the nasal cavity (with respiratory and olfactory components), and on the other hand by the biomechanical properties of the chewing apparatus. The interaction of these heterogeneous factors results in complex, species-specific compromises. Primates are characterized by a gradual reduction of their olfactory system throughout evolution and by binocular vision. Their chewing apparatus shows constructional adaptations to a varying herbivorous diet. Viewed within a phylogenetic-systematic framework, primate evolution may be taken as a natural experiment that demonstrates the influence of various factors on a complex structural system such as the nasal and facial skeleton.
从个体发生和系统发生的角度来看，灵长类动物的面颅骨都由两个部分组成：颅内膜性鼻囊和颅外膜性骨。胎儿期的软骨性鼻囊构成鼻腔的框架，同时也作为发育中的面颅骨的扩展基础。在成年动物中，其骨化部分形成脆弱的筛骨。鼻囊的结构一方面由眼眶和鼻腔（包括呼吸和嗅觉部分）的空间需求决定，另一方面由咀嚼器官的生物力学特性决定。这些不同因素的相互作用导致了复杂的、物种特异性的折衷。灵长类动物的特征是在整个进化过程中嗅觉系统逐渐退化以及具有双眼视觉。它们的咀嚼器官表现出对不同草食性饮食的结构适应性。从系统发育系统的框架来看，灵长类动物的进化可以被视为一个自然实验，展示了各种因素对诸如鼻和面部骨骼等复杂结构系统的影响。
