Early origin for human-like precision grasping: a comparative study of pollical distal phalanges in fossil hominins.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The morphology of human pollical distal phalanges (PDP) closely reflects the adaptation of human hands for refined precision grip with pad-to-pad contact. The presence of these precision grip-related traits in the PDP of fossil hominins has been related to human-like hand proportions (i.e. short hands with a long thumb) enabling the thumb and finger pads to contact. Although this has been traditionally linked to the appearance of stone tool-making, the alternative hypothesis of an earlier origin--related to the freeing of the hands thanks to the advent of terrestrial bipedalism--is also possible given the human-like intrinsic hand proportion found in australopiths.

Methodology/principal findings

We perform morphofunctional and morphometric (bivariate and multivari

SUBMITTER: Almecija S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2908684 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature