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Investigating the Evolution of Foot Anatomy & Biomechanics from Fossil Footprints
Author(s) -
Richmond Brian G,
Hatala Kevin,
Green David J,
Harris John W.K.,
Braun David R,
Kiura Purity,
Mbua Emma
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.178.3
Subject(s) - forefoot , anatomy , gait , bipedalism , biology , foot (prosody) , paleontology , geology , medicine , art , physiology , surgery , literature , complication
Fossilized footprints offer a rare source of direct evidence of the anatomy and gait of extinct species, including hominins (humans and their extinct relatives). Here we report on the anatomy and functional significance of hominin footprints we recently recovered in the Koobi Fora Formation, Kenya (FwJj14E, 1.51–1.53 Ma, Area 1A; and GaJi10, 1.4 Ma, Area 103). After excavating the prints, we photographed, measured, and scanned the prints to preserve their 3D morphology. We compared the prints with a sample of modern human prints from the Dassenach (Ileret, Kenya) and a cast of Laetoli (3.7 Ma) prints using conventional and geometric morphometric methods. Our results show no evidence that the prints from different sites and several event layers at c1.51–1.53 Ma were made by different foot morphologies or gait. However, the prints differ significantly from modern human prints in some aspects of shape, and differ from the 3.7 Ma Laetoli prints in other respects. Moreover, several footprints found at FwJj14E show clear evidence of an adducted hallux, short toes, longitudinal arch, and a deeper impression in the medial than lateral forefoot. The latter provides evidence of medial transfer of pedal pressure late in stance phase prior to toe‐off. These features show that, by 1.5 Ma, hominins had acquired key hallmarks of a modern human walking gait.