![]() Think of a hypothesis to account for the shorter toes in humans. What do you notice about them? This is a substantial difference in the anatomy of human and ape feet, as human toes have greatly reduced all the phalanges but particularly the intermediate ones. While human feet are potentially stiffer than those of chimpanzees following heel lift, humans actually use a greater amount of midfoot motion than chimpanzees. Take a look at the intermediate phalanges in the human and ape feet. The one in the middle of the toe is called the intermediate phalanx. The closest to the rest of the foot is the proximal phalanx, the furthest is the distal phalanx. Walking upright may have helped our oldest human ancestors survive in the diverse habitats near where they lived, including forests and grasslands. The ratio of foot width and length follows a different ontogenetic trajectory in humans and chimpanzees human feet are consistently narrower than chimpanzee feet (Fig. Becoming bipedal By 6 million years ago The oldest evidence for walking on two legs comes from fossils of the earliest humans known. Each of these toes consists of three bones, which are called phalanges. Sahelanthropus may have walked on two legs. The other toes, which are lateral to the hallux, are substantially longer in apes than in humans. In anatomical terms, the first toe is called the hallux, and it is on the medial side of the foot, the one closest to the midline of the body. The first toe in humans is often called the “big toe” or “great toe”, but in these apes it is quite a bit shorter than the other toes. Most obviously, ape feet have an opposable first toe. ![]() These feet are obviously different from human feet in several respects. You will also find some feet from two living species of great apes, gorillas and orangutans. “Articulated” means that the bones are assembled together at their joints – two bones that articulate with each other are connected at a joint. At this station, you’ll find some articulated human feet. Apparently, following an anthropological study, one in every thirteen people has some of the features seen in chimp feet, adapted for climbing trees. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |