Insertion sites in manual proximal phalanges of African apes and modern humans.

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of this study was to describe the insertion sites of the ligaments holding the flexor digitorum profundus and superficialis muscles (flexor ridges) in proximal phalanges 2-5 of African apes and modern humans. To interpret differences in flexor ridge size based on general behavioral differences among taxa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed 3D models of manual proximal phalanges 2-5 from 29 gorillas (Gorilla beringei and Gorilla gorilla), 30 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and 36 recent modern humans. Flexor ridges (mm) were compared within and across genera.

RESULTS

Gorillas and chimpanzees had larger flexor ridges for phalanges 2-4 than humans and this difference subsists when controlling for body size. Each genus had a unique insertion size pattern across the digits, with the most heterogeneous pattern found in chimpanzees, followed by humans, and lastly gorillas. These patterns corresponded strongly to the differences in the size of the phalanges within each genus, except for phalanx 5 in humans, which had a larger flexor ridge than expected.

DISCUSSION

When comparing these genera, the flexor ridges signal differences between taxa that use their hands for manipulation and locomotion (gorillas and chimpanzees) and taxa that use them exclusively for manipulation (humans). This functional signal was also apparent in the PP5 of humans, whose larger FR may be indicating the high recruitment of this digit during forceful precision grip characteristic of humans.