The Laetoli hominid footprints—a preliminary report on the conservation and scientific restudy

Feibel, Craig S.; Agnew, Neville; Latimer, Bruce; Demas, Martha; Marshall, Fiona; Waane, Simon; Schmid, Peter

doi:10.1002/evan.1360040502

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…There are two other caveats that must be considered in this analysis. First, bioturbation is evident in some of the Laetoli G1 prints [23] , and could impact our results. However, much of the bioturbation occurred on the rims of the prints and does not greatly impact the internal morphology of most prints [23] , [24] .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…First, bioturbation is evident in some of the Laetoli G1 prints [23] , and could impact our results. However, much of the bioturbation occurred on the rims of the prints and does not greatly impact the internal morphology of most prints [23] , [24] . Second, the thickness of the substrate at Laetoli varies along the print trail [28] , which may have an effect on footprint depths [19] .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The larger impulse when the body is supported by the forefoot explains the increased toe-depth in BKBH footprints. Since most researchers agree that the Laetoli prints exhibit evidence of a longitudinal arch [5] , [6] , [8] , [10] , [23] – [26] (but see [13] – [15] and supplementary materials Text S1 ; Figs. S1 , S2 ), an analysis of relative toe depths should provide unequivocal evidence of limb posture in these early hominins.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laetoli Footprints Preserve Earliest Direct Evidence of Human-Like Bipedal Biomechanics

et al. 2010

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BackgroundDebates over the evolution of hominin bipedalism, a defining human characteristic, revolve around whether early bipeds walked more like humans, with energetically efficient extended hind limbs, or more like apes with flexed hind limbs. The 3.6 million year old hominin footprints at Laetoli, Tanzania represent the earliest direct evidence of hominin bipedalism. Determining the kinematics of Laetoli hominins will allow us to understand whether selection acted to decrease energy costs of bipedalism by 3.6 Ma.Methodology/Principal FindingsUsing an experimental design, we show that the Laetoli hominins walked with weight transfer most similar to the economical extended limb bipedalism of humans. Humans walked through a sand trackway using both extended limb bipedalism, and more flexed limb bipedalism. Footprint morphology from extended limb trials matches weight distribution patterns found in the Laetoli footprints.ConclusionsThese results provide us with the earliest direct evidence of kinematically human-like bipedalism currently known, and show that extended limb bipedalism evolved long before the appearance of the genus Homo. Since extended-limb bipedalism is more energetically economical than ape-like bipedalism, energy expenditure was likely an important selection pressure on hominin bipeds by 3.6 Ma.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laetoli Footprints Preserve Earliest Direct Evidence of Human-Like Bipedal Biomechanics

et al. 2010

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“…These bones have been described by some to be consistent with full bipedal loco-motion (Latimer et al, 1982;Latimer et al, 1987;Latimer andLovejoy, 1989, 1990a,b) and by others as having traits that suggest a mosaic of terrestrial and arboreal locomotion Susman, 1983, 1991;Susman, 1983;Susman et al, 1984;Susman and Stern, 1991;Duncan et al, 1994;Berillon, 1999Berillon, , 2003. These arguments can also be supported by evidence from the Laetoli footprints; those who argue that the footprints are strong evidence for a human-like arched foot (Leakey and Hay, 1979;White, 1980;White and Suwa, 1987;Feibel et al, 1996) and those arguing against that Susman, 1983, 1991;Susman, 1983;Susman et al, 1985;Duncan et al, 1994;Berillon, 1999).…”

Section: Lateral Column Function and Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Earliest complete hominin fifth metatarsal—Implications for the evolution of the lateral column of the foot

Zipfel

DeSilva

Kidd

2009

American J Phys Anthropol

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StW 114/115, from Sterkfontein, South Africa, is the earliest complete hominin fifth metatarsal. Comparisons of StW 114/115 to modern humans, extant apes, and partial hominin metatarsals AL 333-13, AL 333-78, SKX 33380, OH 8, and KNM-ER 803f reveal a similar morphology in all six fossils consistent with habitual bipedality. Although StW 114/115 possesses some primitive characters, the proximal articular morphology and internal torsion of the head are very human-like, suggesting a stable lateral column and the likely presence of lateral longitudinal and transverse tarsal arches. We conclude that, at least in the lateral component of the foot of the StW 114/115 individual, the biomechanical pattern is very similar to that of modern humans. This, however, may not have been the case in the medial column of the foot, as a mosaic pattern of hominin foot evolution and function has been suggested. The results of this study may support the hypothesis of an increased calcaneo-cuboid stability having been an early evolutionary event in the history of terrestrial bipedalism.

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“…Furthermore, 3.6 Myr-old footprints from Laetoli, Tanzania may provide evidence of an arch in Au. afarensis [10] – [12] . Others concur that the makers of the Laetoli prints had an arched foot, but hypothesize that they were made by a hominin other than Au.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lucy's Flat Feet: The Relationship between the Ankle and Rearfoot Arching in Early Hominins

DeSilva

Throckmorton

2010

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundIn the Plio-Pleistocene, the hominin foot evolved from a grasping appendage to a stiff, propulsive lever. Central to this transition was the development of the longitudinal arch, a structure that helps store elastic energy and stiffen the foot during bipedal locomotion. Direct evidence for arch evolution, however, has been somewhat elusive given the failure of soft-tissue to fossilize. Paleoanthropologists have relied on footprints and bony correlates of arch development, though little consensus has emerged as to when the arch evolved.Methodology/Principal FindingsHere, we present evidence from radiographs of modern humans (n = 261) that the set of the distal tibia in the sagittal plane, henceforth referred to as the tibial arch angle, is related to rearfoot arching. Non-human primates have a posteriorly directed tibial arch angle, while most humans have an anteriorly directed tibial arch angle. Those humans with a posteriorly directed tibial arch angle (8%) have significantly lower talocalcaneal and talar declination angles, both measures of an asymptomatic flatfoot. Application of these results to the hominin fossil record reveals that a well developed rearfoot arch had evolved in Australopithecus afarensis. However, as in humans today, Australopithecus populations exhibited individual variation in foot morphology and arch development, and “Lucy” (A.L. 288-1), a 3.18 Myr-old female Australopithecus, likely possessed asymptomatic flat feet. Additional distal tibiae from the Plio-Pleistocene show variation in tibial arch angles, including two early Homo tibiae that also have slightly posteriorly directed tibial arch angles.Conclusions/SignificanceThis study finds that the rearfoot arch was present in the genus Australopithecus. However, the female Australopithecus afarensis “Lucy” has an ankle morphology consistent with non-pathological flat-footedness. This study suggests that, as in humans today, there was variation in arch development in Plio-Pleistocene hominins.

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The Laetoli hominid footprints—a preliminary report on the conservation and scientific restudy

Cited by 19 publications

References 4 publications

Laetoli Footprints Preserve Earliest Direct Evidence of Human-Like Bipedal Biomechanics

Laetoli Footprints Preserve Earliest Direct Evidence of Human-Like Bipedal Biomechanics

Earliest complete hominin fifth metatarsal—Implications for the evolution of the lateral column of the foot

Lucy's Flat Feet: The Relationship between the Ankle and Rearfoot Arching in Early Hominins

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