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{{short description|Claw or nail on the foot of certain primates, used for personal grooming}}
{{short description|Claw or nail on the foot of certain primates, used for personal grooming}}
[[Image:Varecia variegata foot with toilet-claw.jpg|thumb|Close-up of a [[ruffed lemur]]'s foot, showing the toilet-claw on the second toe and nails on all other toes]]
[[Image:Varecia variegata foot with toilet-claw.jpg|thumb|Close-up of a [[ruffed lemur]]'s foot, showing the toilet-claw on the second toe and nails on all other toes]]

A '''grooming claw''' (or '''toilet claw''') is the specialized [[claw]] or [[Nail (anatomy)|nail]] on the foot of certain [[primate]]s, used for [[personal grooming]]. All [[prosimian]]s have a grooming claw, but the digit that is specialized in this manner varies.<ref name=evolution>{{Cite journal | last1 = Soligo | first1 = C. | last2 = Müller | first2 = A. E. | doi = 10.1006/jhev.1998.0263 | title = Nails and claws in primate evolution | journal = Journal of Human Evolution | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | pages = 97–114 | year = 1999 | pmid = 9924135| pmc = }}</ref> [[Tarsier]]s have a grooming claw on second and third [[toe]]s. With one possible exception, in the suborder [[Strepsirrhini]], which includes [[lemur]]s, [[galago]]s and [[Lorisidae|lorises]], the grooming claw is on the second toe. The possible exception is the [[aye-aye]], which has claws instead of nails on toes 2 through 5. There is some debate concerning whether any of these claws (and if so which ones) are grooming claws.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Less commonly known, a grooming claw is also found on the second pedal digit of [[night monkey]]s (''Aotus''), [[titi]]s (''Callicebus''), and possibly other [[New World monkey]]s.<ref name=Maiolino>{{Cite journal | last1 = Maiolino | first1 = S. | last2 = Boyer | first2 = D. M. | last3 = Rosenberger | first3 = A. | doi = 10.1002/ar.21498 | title = Morphological Correlates of the Grooming Claw in Distal Phalanges of Platyrrhines and Other Primates: A Preliminary Study | journal = The Anatomical Record | volume = 294 | issue = 12 | pages = 1975–90 | year = 2011 | pmid = 22042603| pmc = }}</ref>
A '''grooming claw''' (or '''toilet claw''') is the specialized [[claw]] or [[Nail (anatomy)|nail]] on the foot of certain [[primate]]s, used for [[personal grooming]]. All [[prosimian]]s have a grooming claw, but the digit that is specialized in this manner varies.<ref name=evolution>{{Cite journal | last1 = Soligo | first1 = C. | last2 = Müller | first2 = A. E. | doi = 10.1006/jhev.1998.0263 | title = Nails and claws in primate evolution | journal = Journal of Human Evolution | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | pages = 97–114 | year = 1999 | pmid = 9924135}}</ref> [[Tarsier]]s have a grooming claw on second and third [[toe]]s. In the suborder [[Strepsirrhini]], which includes [[lemur]]s, [[galago]]s and [[Lorisidae|lorises]], the grooming claw is on the second toe.<ref name="Schwitzer_etal2013">{{cite book | first1 = C | last1 = Schwitzer | first2 = R. A. | last2 = Mittermeier | first3 = E. E. | last3 = Louis Jr. | first4 = M. C. | last4 = Richardson | chapter = Family Daubentoniidae: Aye-aye | editor1-last = Mittermeier | editor1-first = Russell A. | editor1-link = Russell A. Mittermeier | editor2-first = Anthony B. | editor2-last = Rylands | editor3-first = Don E. | editor3-last = Wilson | editor3-link = Don E. Wilson | title = Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 3. Primates | publisher = Lynx Edicions | location = Barcelona | year = 2013 | pages = 176–181 | isbn = 978-84-96553-89-7}}</ref> Less commonly known, a grooming claw is also found on the second pedal digit of [[night monkey]]s (''Aotus''), [[titi]]s (''Callicebus''), and possibly other [[New World monkey]]s.<ref name=Maiolino>{{Cite journal | last1 = Maiolino | first1 = S. | last2 = Boyer | first2 = D. M. | last3 = Rosenberger | first3 = A. | doi = 10.1002/ar.21498 | title = Morphological Correlates of the Grooming Claw in Distal Phalanges of Platyrrhines and Other Primates: A Preliminary Study | journal = The Anatomical Record | volume = 294 | issue = 12 | pages = 1975–90 | year = 2011 | pmid = 22042603| doi-access = free }}</ref>


The first toe is the large one, the equivalent of a human [[Hallux|big toe]]. However, in all these prosimians the foot is more or less hand-like. The first toe is opposable, like a human [[thumb]], and the second and third toes correspond approximately to the index and middle fingers.
The first toe is the large one, the equivalent of a human [[Hallux|big toe]]. However, in all these prosimians the foot is more or less hand-like. The first toe is opposable, like a human [[thumb]], and the second and third toes correspond approximately to the index and middle fingers.
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
{{commons category|Toilet claws}}
* {{commons category-inline|Toilet claws}}


[[Category:Primate anatomy]]
[[Category:Primate anatomy]]

Latest revision as of 21:59, 27 January 2024

Close-up of a ruffed lemur's foot, showing the toilet-claw on the second toe and nails on all other toes

A grooming claw (or toilet claw) is the specialized claw or nail on the foot of certain primates, used for personal grooming. All prosimians have a grooming claw, but the digit that is specialized in this manner varies.[1] Tarsiers have a grooming claw on second and third toes. In the suborder Strepsirrhini, which includes lemurs, galagos and lorises, the grooming claw is on the second toe.[2] Less commonly known, a grooming claw is also found on the second pedal digit of night monkeys (Aotus), titis (Callicebus), and possibly other New World monkeys.[3]

The first toe is the large one, the equivalent of a human big toe. However, in all these prosimians the foot is more or less hand-like. The first toe is opposable, like a human thumb, and the second and third toes correspond approximately to the index and middle fingers.

Like a claw or a nail, the grooming claw is also made of keratin. It resembles a claw in both its lateral compression and longitudinal curvature. However, the tip is not as pointed, and it always stands at a steeper angle, a characteristic that also distinguishes it from a nail.[1]

Function

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The grooming claw is used in personal grooming to rake through the fur or scratch, particularly around the head and neck.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Soligo, C.; Müller, A. E. (1999). "Nails and claws in primate evolution". Journal of Human Evolution. 36 (1): 97–114. doi:10.1006/jhev.1998.0263. PMID 9924135.
  2. ^ Schwitzer, C; Mittermeier, R. A.; Louis Jr., E. E.; Richardson, M. C. (2013). "Family Daubentoniidae: Aye-aye". In Mittermeier, Russell A.; Rylands, Anthony B.; Wilson, Don E. (eds.). Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 3. Primates. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 176–181. ISBN 978-84-96553-89-7.
  3. ^ a b Maiolino, S.; Boyer, D. M.; Rosenberger, A. (2011). "Morphological Correlates of the Grooming Claw in Distal Phalanges of Platyrrhines and Other Primates: A Preliminary Study". The Anatomical Record. 294 (12): 1975–90. doi:10.1002/ar.21498. PMID 22042603.
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