This cranium, particularly the orientation and anterior location of the occipital foramen where the spinal column is inserted, reveals a form of locomotion on two legs, implying that it was capable of bipedalism. Its description goes back to 2001 when the Franco-Chadian Paleoanthropological Mission (MPFT) uncovered the bones of three people at Toros-Menalla in the Djurab Desert (Chad), including a particularly well-preserved cranium. Sahelanthropus tchadensis is considered the earliest representative species of humans, dating back 7 million years. Credit: Franck Guy / PALEVOPRIM / CNRS – University of Poitiers The study, which was recently published in the journal Nature, supports the hypothesis that bipedalism was developed extremely early in human history, at a time still associated with the ability to move on four limbs in trees.Ĭollection working session between Franck Guy (left) and Guillaume Daver (right), at the PALEVOPRIM laboratory, Poitiers (CNRS/University of Poitiers). Researchers from the University of Poitiers, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and its Chadian partners analyzed three limb bones from Sahelanthropus tchadensis, the earliest known representative of the human genus. However, there is disagreement over its modalities and age, notably due to the fact there are no fossilized remains. It is believed that the development of bipedalism was a turning point in human evolution. Credit: Sabine Riffaut, Guillaume Daver, Franck Guy / PALEVOPRIM / CNRS – University of Poitiers A new study reveals that Sahelanthropus tchadensis, the oldest representative species of humanity, was bipedal. ![]() It coexisted with other types of movement in a tree environment, including quadrupedal movement using firm hand grips, clearly differing from that of gorillas and chimpanzees who use the back of their phalanges for support (“knuckle-walking”). ![]() Bipedalism was common among the earliest known representatives of humankind, probably on the ground but also in trees. Representation of the modes of locomotion practiced by Sahelanthropus.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |