Body mass and skull dimensions
We carried out skull measurements of primates, carnivores and bats from
the comparative anatomy collections of the Natural History Museums of
Paris (MNHN) and London (NHM). All measurements (see Appendix S1 in
supporting information) were made with an accuracy of 0.01 cm using
digital calipers. Measurements of jaw length (A), and the jaw gape (B)
allow us to estimate approximately the maximum opening of the jaw. The
bicondylar width (C) and the projected jaw length (D) are correlated
with the size of the animal and give an estimate of the shape of the
mandible. Canine overlap (E) has been suggested to explain the maximal
opening of the jaw and thus the size of the food that can be ingested
(Hylander 2013). The jaw width (F) and the distance between molars (G)
provide an estimate of the size of the food passage (size of the oral
and pharyngeal tract). The coronoid height (H) indicates the size of the
temporalis muscles and provides insights on bite force which may also be
related to the size of the fruit and seeds ingested. The regular absence
of teeth on the skulls of the specimens resulted in all measurements
being taken at the base of the teeth. As far as possible, the skulls of
two adult males and two adult females were measured for each species.
Body mass data were derived from the open access database of the
Encyclopedia of Life which lists the adult male and female body mass
(https://eol.org/).