Abstract
The exact period, cause and evolution of erect posture and bipedal gait in early hominids
has subject of much debate among primatologists and anthropologists. This brief presentation
proposes at least that one among the theories, knuckle-walking as a precursor to bipdality
is probably debatable. In higher apes, which spend more time on foraging at terrestrial
level and less as arboreal primates, knuckle walking may have evolved more as a nail
and fingertip protective adaptation in apes.
Keywords
knuckle-walking - bipedal gait - hominin - Australopithecus - apes
