Inter-ray variation in metatarsal strength properties in humans and African apes: Implications for inferring bipedal biomechanics in the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot

Journal of Human Evolution
Biren A PatelRandall L Susman

Abstract

When measured as a ratio of mean midshaft diameter to bone length, the OH 8 fossil hominin foot exhibits a metatarsal (Mt) robusticity pattern of 1 > 5 > 3 > 4 > 2, which differs from the widely perceived "common" modern human pattern (1 > 5 > 4 > 3 > 2); African apes generally exhibit a third pattern (1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5). Largely because of the relative ranking of Mt2 and Mt5, OH 8 metatarsals structurally resemble the pattern exhibited by bipedal humans more than the pattern of quadrupedal and climbing African apes. Considering only these three phenotypes, however, discounts the potentially important functional implications of variation in modern human (and African ape) metatarsal robusticity patterns, suggesting that they are not useful for interpreting the specific biomechanics of a bipedal gait in fossils (i.e., whether it was modern human-like or not). Using computed tomography scans to quantify metatarsal midshaft cross-sectional geometry in a large sample of Homo (n=130), Gorilla (n=44) and Pan (n=80), we documented greater variation in metatarsal robusticity patterns than previously recognized in all three groups. While apes consistently show a 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5 pattern in our larger sample, there does not appear to be ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 23, 2018·Evolutionary Anthropology·Ellison J McNuttJeremy M DeSilva
Nov 12, 2019·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Kristi L Lewton, Biren A Patel
Jan 12, 2020·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Laura A B WilsonLouise T Humphrey
Dec 24, 2018·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Jeremy DeSilvaBernhard Zipfel
Jun 12, 2019·Journal of Human Evolution·D MarchiC B Ruff
Apr 24, 2020·Journal of Human Evolution·Biren A PatelTea Jashashvili

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