Boyer diss 2009 1046..

Assessment of metatarsal association and attribution.—As discussed in the
descriptions, all but a left MT IV and a right MT V appear to belong to P. cookei. This
interpretation is not as thoroughly supported as those for the metacarpals mainly because
(1) there are fewer and less complete metatarsals than metacarpals in UM 87990 and (2)
there are fewer complete comparative metatarsal specimens available. The most
speculative of the attributions for the metatarsals described above is that of MT II, given
its fragmentary nature and unusual morphology (compared to MT III and IV). However,
this attribution is actually supported by comparisons to N. intermedius material.
Measurements of proximal and distal fragments of MT I-V preserved with N. intermedius
USNM 442229 show that its MT II is similar to the element identified as such for UM
87990 in being more robust than MT III and IV (Table 4.23). An additional similarity
between MT II of USNM 442229 and UM 87990 is that both have a distal end that is
proportionally dorsoventrally shallower than those of the other metatarsals. These same
proportional features also appear to characterize the MT II of Dryomomys szalayi UM
41870, although quantitative data are not available for comparison at this time (Boyer and
Bloch, 2008). The identification of P. cookei’s MT III and IV is supported by the
similarity of the proximal ends of these bones to those of MT III and IV of USNM
442229. Dentally-associated skeletal remains of cf. P. churchilli (SMM P77.33.517)
from Wannagan Creek of North Dakota also include fairly complete proximal ends of
MT III and IV. Again, these are nearly identical to those of N. intermedius and P. cookei.
As discussed above, the same P. churchilli specimen also includes a nearly complete MT
V. A composite plesiadapid foot can thus be assembled (Figs. 4.33, 39C) using
information from these three specimens along with information from the tarsals.
358