New hominin first metatarsal (SK 1813) from Swartkrans.
A recently recognized hominin hallucal metatarsal, SK 1813, from Swartkrans bears a suite of primitive and derived traits. Comparisons with extant apes, modern humans, SKX 5017, and Stw 562 reveals similar morphology in all three fossils and that these early hominins, while bipedal, possessed a unique toe-off mechanism. The implications of this are that both primitive and derived traits must be used to establish the total biomechanical pattern.
Susman
Randall L
RL
Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8081, USA. randall.susman@stonybrook.edu
De Ruiter
Darryl J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005580:Fossils; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008682:Metatarsal Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013019:South Africa