Data and script from: Comparative biomechanical analysis of jumping between the arboreal northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius)

We designed and used an apparatus for measuring biomechanical outputs of upward vertical jumping. We tested three male fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) and two male and one female arboreal northern tree-shrews (Tupaia belangeri). Two small animal force plates (HE6x6-16; Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc., Watertown, MA, USA; 15 x 15 x 3 cm) were used to record substrate reaction forces (SRF) during the push-off phase of the jump. We sampled forces at 600 Hz using the AMTI NetForce application (Version 3.5.2, 2010). Other measures of mechanical output were calculated from SRF measurement and individual body mass using custom MATLAB programs.

MATLAB files for force plate calibration and analysis of force plate recordings during jumping trials are available at: https://doi.org/10.7924/r47m0hf0g. Scripts available: ForcePole_Calibration.m; ForcePole_BodyMass.m; ForcePole_Leap.m

To assess the degree to which different performance abilities could be associated with different skeletal morphologies, we took a variety of measurements on a sample of three C. medius and three T. belangeri complete specimens. We took a set of 36 measurements quantifying aspects of forelimbs, hindlimbs, pelvis, and trunk vertebrae. Measurements were taken using the ruler tool in Avizo 3D (Thermofisher Scientific).

Material and methods are described in the forthcoming paper by Boulinguez-Ambroise et al.: Gregoire Boulinguez-Ambroise, Madison Bradley-Cronkwright, Noah T. Dunham, Gabriel S. Yapuncich, Daniel Schmitt, Angel Zeininger, Doug M. Boyer, Jesse W. Young; Comparative biomechanical analysis of jumping between the arboreal northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society [DOI pending.]