Abstract
There is considerable debate about whether population-level asymmetries in limb preferences are uniquely human or are a common feature among vertebrates. In the present article the results of studies investigating limb preferences in all non-extinct vertebrate orders are systematically analysed by employing cladographic comparisons. These studies analysed 119 different species, with 61 (51.26%) showing evidence for population-level asymmetries, 20 (16.81%) showing evidence for individual-level asymmetries and 38 (31.93%) showing no evidence for asymmetry. The cladographic comparison revealed that research in several key taxa in particular (e.g., Chondrichtyes, Crocodylia, Atlantogenata and Palaeognathae) would have important implications for our understanding of the evolution of vertebrate limb preferences. Furthermore, the findings of the present study support the position that population-level asymmetries in limb preferences as such represent a common vertebrate feature. Looking into the details, however, some important differences from human handedness become visible: Non-human limb preferences typically show a less-skewed lateralisation pattern and there are larger numbers of individuals without a preference in most species compared to humans. Moreover, limb preferences in non-human animals are often less task-invariant than human handedness and are more frequently modulated by external factors and individual characteristics.
We like to thank Jutta Peterburs for proofreading the manuscript. B is reprinted from Giljov, A., Karenina, K., & Malashichev, Y. B. (2012). Limb preferences in a marsupial, Macropus rufogriseus: Evidence for postural effect. Animal Behaviour, 83(2), 525–534. Copyright (2012) with permission from Elsevier. We like to thank Dr Yegor B. Malashichev for providing this figure. We also like to thank Sharon McGavin for providing C. C is reprinted from McGavin, S. (2009) Footedness in North Island kaka (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis). Notornis, 56, 139–143, with permisson from Notornis.