Abstract
All African apes walk on their knuckles. There is no evidence for this behaviour in the earliest hominids, however, which conflicts with molecular DNA evidence suggesting that chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than to gorillas. On the basis of a multivariate analysis of four traits of the proximal wrist joint, Richmond and Strait1 claim that African apes and early hominids do share a common knuckle-walking ancestor. I propose that these traits are not uniquely associated with knuckle-walking and question the basis of their conclusion. It is still possible that no human ancestor knuckle-walked and that this behaviour evolved independently in different species.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Richmond, B. G. & Strait, D. S. Nature 404, 382–385 (2000).
Dainton, M. & Macho, G. A. J. Hum. Evol. 36, 171–194 (1999).
Tuttle, R. H. J. Morphol. 128, 309–364 (1969).
Sarmiento, E. E. Int. J. Primatol. 9, 281–345 (1988).
Tuttle, R. H. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 26, 171–206 (1967).
Tuttle, R. H. (ed.) in Primate Functional Morphology and Evolution 203–212 (Mouton, The Hague, 1975).
Tuttle, R. H. & Beck, B. B. Nature 236, 33–44 (1972).
Gould, S. J. & Vrba, E. S. Paleobiology 8, 4–15 (1982).
Lauder, G. V. in Functional Morphology in Vertebrate Paleontology (ed. Thomason, J. J.) 1–18 (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 1995).
Sarmiento, E. E. Hum. Evol. 10, 289–321 (1995).
Jenkins, F. A. Jr & Fleagle, J. G. in Primate Functional Morphology and Evolution (ed. Tuttle, R. H.) 213–221 (Mouton, The Hague, 1975).
Collard, M. & Aiello, L. C. Nature 404, 339–340 (2000).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dainton, M. Did our ancestors knuckle-walk?. Nature 410, 324–325 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35066634
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35066634
This article is cited by
-
The evolution of the upright posture and gait—a review and a new synthesis
Naturwissenschaften (2010)
-
Return to the planet of the apes
Nature (2001)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
