Overview
- Published in Science Advances, the study led by Scott A. Williams identifies a prominent femoral tubercle interpreted as the attachment site for the iliofemoral ligament associated with bipedal stability.
- The team also reports femoral antetorsion, a gluteal muscle attachment feature, and a relatively long femur compared with the ulna, aligning more with hominins than with modern apes.
- Authors conclude Sahelanthropus likely mixed ground-based bipedalism with tree-based behaviors, indicating a gradual, mosaic evolution of locomotion.
- The analysis re-examines limb fossils previously assessed in a 2022 Nature study and involves researchers from NYU, the University of Washington, Chaffey College, and the University of Chicago.
- Skepticism persists among some specialists, and whether Sahelanthropus was a direct ancestor or a close relative on a side branch remains unresolved.