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Related Concept Videos

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The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg. It is larger than the fibula with which it is paired. The tibia is also the second longest bone in the body and is located right below the skin. The proximal end of the tibia forms the medial and the lateral condyle, which articulates with the condyles of the femur to form the knee joint. Between the articulating surfaces is the irregular elevated area known as the intercondylar eminence that serves as the inferior attachment point for...
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The human leg comprises an intricate system of muscles that facilitate the movement of feet and toes. Within this system, the muscles are categorized into the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments, each with a unique set of muscles carrying out specific functions.
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The ankle is formed by the talocrural joint (crural = leg). It consists of the articulations between the talus bone of the foot and the distal ends of the tibia and fibula of the leg. The superior aspect of the talus bone is square-shaped and has three areas of articulation. The top of the talus articulates with the inferior tibia. This is the portion of the ankle joint that carries the body weight between the leg and foot. The sides of the talus are firmly held in position by the articulations...
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The femur is the body's longest and strongest bone spanning the thigh region. Its head articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bone to form the hip joint. A minor indentation on the medial side of the femoral head, called the fovea capitis, serves as the site of attachment for the ligament of the head of the femur. This weak ligament spans the femur and acetabulum and supports the hip joint. The narrowed region below the head is the neck of the femur. The inclination angle between the...
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Joints form during embryonic development in conjunction with the formation and growth of the associated bones. The embryonic tissue that gives rise to all bones, cartilage, and connective tissues of the body is called mesenchyme.
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The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
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Morphological integration in the hominid midfoot.

Klara Komza1, Bence Viola1, Teagan Netten1

  • 1Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S2, Canada.

Journal of Human Evolution
|August 8, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Great apes exhibit less integrated midfoot elements compared to humans, indicating a link between abducted halluces and reduced morphological integration. Specialized functions in humans and orangutans correlate with lower midfoot integration, suggesting selection influences evolutionary paths.

Keywords:
BipedalismEvolutionLocomotionMidfootMorphological integration

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Area of Science:

  • Paleoanthropology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • Morphological integration influences evolutionary trajectories in the hominid lineage.
  • Understanding trait covariance in the midfoot is crucial for linking locomotor differences to evolutionary paths.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Quantify morphological integration in the midfoot of great apes and humans.
  • Examine the relationship between locomotor differences and trait covariance.
  • Test if medial foot elements are less integrated in great apes due to abducted halluces.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed cuneiforms, navicular, cuboid, and metatarsals 1-5 from Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, and Pongo sp.
  • Quantified morphological integration using the integration coefficient of variation of interlandmark distances.
  • Compared integration magnitudes across defined modules and random trait sets.

Main Results:

  • Nonhuman apes possess less integrated medial elements; humans show highly integrated medial elements, linked to hallucal abduction.
  • Significant variation in integration magnitudes exists across various midfoot bones, influenced by functional and nonfunctional factors.
  • Humans and orangutans display the lowest overall midfoot integration, potentially due to specialized functions.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced morphological integration in medial foot elements is associated with hallucal abduction in apes.
  • Functional adaptations and selection pressures significantly impact midfoot morphological integration.
  • Strong diversifying selection may correlate with reduced morphological integration in highly specialized species.