Le Minor J M
Institute of Normal Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, France.
Gegenbaurs Morphol Jahrb. 1988;134(5):693-731.
A study of comparative anatomy was made to determine the distribution of metapodo-phalangeal sesamoid bones among the different mammalian species for a better understanding of the variations and origins of these bones in man, and that in the context of renewed interest in non-metrical characteristics of the post-cranial skeleton in physical anthropology. The material used included 457 non-primate mammalian skeletons divided into 18 orders, 63 families, and 161 genera, 211 non-human primate skeletons divided into 37 genera, and 2,500 human radiographs (1,250 hands and 1,250 feet). 2 sesamoid bones were constantly observed for each metapodo-phalangeal joint in almost all mammalian orders. Modifications of the general mammalian pattern were observed only in man and a small number of primate genera, all closely related to man and called anthropoid apes; these modifications consist of the more or less complete disappearance of some or all sesamoid bones and often of a morphological heteropody. All the genera concerned use brachiation or probably have brachiating ancestors. Some morphological characteristics could apparently be related to specific modes of locomotion, namely the shape, more or less oblong, pear-like or round, according to genera or digits, and the possible fusion of the 2 sesamoid bones of the same digit to form a unique ossified structure.
进行了一项比较解剖学研究，以确定不同哺乳动物物种中跖趾籽骨的分布情况，以便更好地了解这些骨头在人类中的变异和起源，并且是在体质人类学对颅后骨骼非测量特征重新产生兴趣的背景下进行的。所使用的材料包括457个非灵长类哺乳动物骨骼，分为18目、63科和161属，211个非人类灵长类骨骼，分为37属，以及2500张人类X光片（1250张手部和1250张足部）。几乎在所有哺乳动物目中，每个跖趾关节都能持续观察到2块籽骨。仅在人类和少数灵长类属中观察到了对一般哺乳动物模式的改变，所有这些属都与人类密切相关，被称为类人猿；这些改变包括部分或全部籽骨或多或少完全消失，并且常常伴有形态上的异态足。所有相关属都采用臂行法或可能有臂行的祖先。一些形态特征显然可能与特定的运动方式有关，即根据属或指的不同，形状或多或少呈长方形、梨形或圆形，以及同一指的2块籽骨可能融合形成一个独特的骨化结构。
