title: Coracoacromial ligament function: a phylomorphic analysis.
abstract: Various morphologic parameters of the coracoacromial region were quantified for five hominoid genera to examine the evolutionary development of the coracoacromial ligament (CAL) and its significance and relationship to shoulder function. No evolutionary correlation within the family Hominoidea was found for several calculated parameters obtained from osseous dimensions and CAL length. However, from an evolutionary analysis of the order Anthropoidea, it appears that the CAL is not solely a vestigial structure in humans but rather represents a stage in the development of the hominoid shoulder with the function of providing increased mechanical stability to the superior bony vault.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, New York 10003, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kummer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology