Shared human-chimpanzee pattern of perinatal femoral shaft morphology and its implications for the evolution of hominin locomotor adaptations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acquisition of bipedality is a hallmark of human evolution. How bipedality evolved from great ape-like locomotor behaviors, however, is still highly debated. This is mainly because it is difficult to infer locomotor function, and even more so locomotor kinematics, from fossil hominin long bones. Structure-function relationships are complex, as long bone morphology reflects phyletic history, developmental programs, and loading history during an individual's lifetime. Here we discriminate between these factors by investigating the morphology of long bones in fetal and neonate great apes and humans, before the onset of locomotion.

Methodology/principal findings

Comparative morphometric analysis of the femoral diaphysis indicates that its morphology reflects phyletic

SUBMITTER: Morimoto N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3405051 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature