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The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zipfel, B; DeSilva, JM; Kidd, RS; Carlson, KJ; Churchill, SE; Berger, LR
Published in: Science (New York, N.Y.)
September 2011

A well-preserved and articulated partial foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba, including an associated complete adult distal tibia, talus, and calcaneus, have been discovered at the Malapa site, South Africa, and reported in direct association with the female paratype Malapa Hominin 2. These fossils reveal a mosaic of primitive and derived features that are distinct from those seen in other hominins. The ankle (talocrural) joint is mostly humanlike in form and inferred function, and there is some evidence for a humanlike arch and Achilles tendon. However, Au. sediba is apelike in possessing a more gracile calcaneal body and a more robust medial malleolus than expected. These observations suggest, if present models of foot function are correct, that Au. sediba may have practiced a unique form of bipedalism and some degree of arboreality. Given the combination of features in the Au. sediba foot, as well as comparisons between Au. sediba and older hominins, homoplasy is implied in the acquisition of bipedal adaptations in the hominin foot.

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Published In

Science (New York, N.Y.)

DOI

EISSN

1095-9203

ISSN

0036-8075

Publication Date

September 2011

Volume

333

Issue

6048

Start / End Page

1417 / 1420

Related Subject Headings

  • Tibia
  • Tarsal Bones
  • Talus
  • South Africa
  • Metatarsal Bones
  • Male
  • Locomotion
  • Humans
  • Hominidae
  • General Science & Technology
 

Citation

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Zipfel, B., DeSilva, J. M., Kidd, R. S., Carlson, K. J., Churchill, S. E., & Berger, L. R. (2011). The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba. Science (New York, N.Y.), 333(6048), 1417–1420. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202703
Zipfel, Bernhard, Jeremy M. DeSilva, Robert S. Kidd, Kristian J. Carlson, Steven E. Churchill, and Lee R. Berger. “The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba.Science (New York, N.Y.) 333, no. 6048 (September 2011): 1417–20. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202703.
Zipfel B, DeSilva JM, Kidd RS, Carlson KJ, Churchill SE, Berger LR. The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba. Science (New York, NY). 2011 Sep;333(6048):1417–20.
Zipfel, Bernhard, et al. “The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba.Science (New York, N.Y.), vol. 333, no. 6048, Sept. 2011, pp. 1417–20. Epmc, doi:10.1126/science.1202703.
Zipfel B, DeSilva JM, Kidd RS, Carlson KJ, Churchill SE, Berger LR. The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba. Science (New York, NY). 2011 Sep;333(6048):1417–1420.
Journal cover image

Published In

Science (New York, N.Y.)

DOI

EISSN

1095-9203

ISSN

0036-8075

Publication Date

September 2011

Volume

333

Issue

6048

Start / End Page

1417 / 1420

Related Subject Headings

  • Tibia
  • Tarsal Bones
  • Talus
  • South Africa
  • Metatarsal Bones
  • Male
  • Locomotion
  • Humans
  • Hominidae
  • General Science & Technology