Insights into the lower torso in late Miocene hominoid<i>Oreopithecus bambolii</i>

Hammond, Ashley S.; Rook, Lorenzo; Anaya, Alisha; Cioppi, Elisabetta; Costeur, Loïc; Moyà‐Solà, Salvador; Almécija, Sergio

doi:10.1073/pnas.1911896116

Cited by 22 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Phylogenetic interpretations of Oreopithecus include cercopithecoid, stem hominoid and hominid (even hominin) status (127). However, current phylogenetic analyses suggest that Oreopithecus could represent a late occurring stem hominoid (97,128), with postcranial adaptations to alternative types of orthogrady, such as forelimb-dominated behaviors (129) and terrestrial bipedalism (130). Even if not directly related to hominins (or modern hominoids), the locomotor adaptations of Oreopithecus-and other Miocene apes-are worthy of further research to understand the selection pressures that led to the (independent) emergence of modern hominoid positional behaviors.…”

Section: Evolution In Motionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Fossil apes and human evolution

Almécija

Hammond

Thompson

et al. 2021

Science

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Humans diverged from apes (chimpanzees, specifically) toward the end of the Miocene ~9.3 million to 6.5 million years ago. Understanding the origins of the human lineage (hominins) requires reconstructing the morphology, behavior, and environment of the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor. Modern hominoids (that is, humans and apes) share multiple features (for example, an orthograde body plan facilitating upright positional behaviors). However, the fossil record indicates that living hominoids constitute narrow representatives of an ancient radiation of more widely distributed, diverse species, none of which exhibit the entire suite of locomotor adaptations present in the extant relatives. Hence, some modern ape similarities might have evolved in parallel in response to similar selection pressures. Current evidence suggests that hominins originated in Africa from Miocene ape ancestors unlike any living species.

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Section: Evolution In Motionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Fossil apes and human evolution

Almécija

Hammond

Thompson

et al. 2021

Science

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“…Importantly, several middle-to-late Miocene fossil hominoids such as Oreopithecus (Hammond et al, 2020), Rudapithecus (Ward et al, 2019), Danuvius (Böhme et al, 2019), and…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bipedal locomotion in zoo apes: Revisiting the hylobatian model for bipedal origins

2022

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Bipedal locomotion is a hallmark of being human. Yet, the body form from which bipedalism evolved remains unclear. Specifically, the positional behavior (i.e., orthograde vs. pronograde) and the length of the lumbar spine (i.e., long and mobile vs. short and stiff) of the last common ancestor (LCA) of the African great apes and humans require further investigation. While fossil evidence would be the most conclusive, the paucity of hominid fossils from 5-10 million years ago makes this field of research challenging. In their absence, extant primate anatomy and behavior may offer some insight into the ancestral body form from which bipedalism could most easily evolve. Here, we quantify the frequency of bipedalism in a large sample (N=496) of zoo-housed hominoids and cercopithecines. Our results show that while each studied species of ape and monkey can move bipedally, hylobatids are significantly more bipedal and engage in bipedal locomotion more frequently and for greater distances than any other primate sampled. These data support hypotheses of an orthograde, long-backed, and arboreal LCA, which is consistent with hominoid fossils from the middle-to-late Miocene. If true, knuckle-walking evolved in parallel in Pan and Gorilla, and the human body form, particularly the long lower back and orthograde posture, is conserved.

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“…A long ischium is evident in Ar. ramidus at 4.4. million years ago (Lovejoy et al 2009), as well as all Miocene apes with associated pelvis remains (Hammond et al, 2013, 2020; Morgan et al, 2015; Ward, 1993; Ward et al, 2019). Komza et al (2018:4136) has recently proposed that shortening the ischium in hominin evolution facilitated ‘hamstrings-powered hip extension’.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptations for bipedal walking: Musculoskeletal structure and three-dimensional joint mechanics of humans and bipedal chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

O’Neill

Demes

Thompson

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Humans are unique among apes and other primates in the musculoskeletal design of their lower back, pelvis and lower limbs. Here, we describe the three-dimensional ground reaction forces and lower/hind limb joint mechanics of human and bipedal chimpanzee walking over a full stride and test whether: 1) the estimated limb joint work and power during stance phase, especially the single-support period, is lower in humans than bipedal chimpanzees, 2) the limb joint work and power required for limb swing is lower in humans than in bipedal chimpanzees, and 3) the estimated total mechanical power during walking, accounting for the storage of passive elastic strain energy in humans, is lower in humans than in bipedal chimpanzees. Humans and bipedal chimpanzees were compared at matched dimensionless and dimensional velocities. Our results indicate that humans walk with significantly less work and power output in the first double-support period and the single-support period of stance, but markedly exceed chimpanzees in the second-double support period (i.e., push-off). Humans generate less work and power in limb swing, although the species difference in limb swing power was not statistically significant. We estimated that total mechanical positive muscle fiber work and power were 46.9% and 35.8% lower, respectively, in humans than bipedal chimpanzees at matched dimensionless speeds. This is due in part to mechanisms for the storage and release of elastic energy at the ankle and hip in humans. Further, these results indicate distinct heel strike and lateral balance mechanics in humans and bipedal chimpanzees, and suggest a greater use of soft tissues for dissipation of mechanical energy in humans. Together, our results document important differences between human and bipedal chimpanzee walking mechanics over a full stride, permitting a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanics and energetics of chimpanzee bipedalism and the evolution of hominin walking.

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Insights into the lower torso in late Miocene hominoidOreopithecus bambolii

Cited by 22 publications

References 58 publications

Fossil apes and human evolution

Fossil apes and human evolution

Bipedal locomotion in zoo apes: Revisiting the hylobatian model for bipedal origins

Adaptations for bipedal walking: Musculoskeletal structure and three-dimensional joint mechanics of humans and bipedal chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

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