Question

Bipedalism required several anatomical changes, these can be identified clearly when we compared the skeleton of a chimpanzee and one of a human. What characteristics are usually associated with bipedalism?

Answer 1

BIPEDALISM (ability to walk on 2 legs)

Major morphological features diagnosticof bipedalism are....

• the presence of a bicondylar angle, or valgus knee;
• a more inferiorly placed foramen magnum;
• the presence of a reduced or nonopposable big toe;
• a higher arch on the foot;
• a more posterior orientation of the anterior portion of the iliac blade;
• a relatively larger femoral head diameter;
• an increased femoral neck length;
• slightly larger and anteroposteriorly elongated condyles of the femur.