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From: evans@mhuxt.UUCP (crandall)
Newsgroups: net.bio
Subject: bipedalism
Message-ID: <840@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 4-May-86 12:51:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.840
Posted: Sun May  4 12:51:28 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 6-May-86 05:05:14 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ
Lines: 18


   For those of you interested in the subject I suggest readings on pygmy
chimps (Pan paniscus).  They appear more similar to humans than the common
chimp and, interestingly, use more bipedal locomotion.  Interestingly, they
do so in trees.  Please, also remember that a tree-dwelling lifestyle can
be very condusive to the pre-adaptation of an upright carriage.  Suggest
reading Randall Susman's work on Australopithecine hands (in particular,
A. afarensis) which indicates that they still made ample use of trees.  This
is followed by plain logic which notes that useing trees for sleep or escape
can be helpful in a large number of preditor avoidance situations.
   How about a new subject in hominids.  I'd like to see a discussion of
conditions which would be condusive to birthing totally dependent infants
(besides the obvious birth cannal/ bipedal locomotor efficiency statement).
For example, does anyone know of any animals with dependent infants which does
NOT find a way of storing them away in a shelter of eyrie at times?  How many
do NOT have a support group (mate, troop,etc)?

                                   Sukie Crandall