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Re: AAT Questions...
Ralph L Holloway (rlh2@columbia.edu)
Sat, 29 Jul 1995 12:26:09 -0400
On 28 Jul 1995, HARRY R. ERWIN wrote:
> Not speaking as an AAHer, but wouldn't you expect robust limbs, given the
> forces and moments you would expect to encounter in the water? I don't
> think I know of any aquatic vertebrate that is particularly gracile. Even
> penguins have low-drag wings. This probably can be quantified.
Do most of the aquatic vertebrates(cetaceans, porpoises, otters, seals,
etc) have "robust limbs" and wide shoulder girdles? If the early
hominids/hominoids were basically arboreally adapted, wouldn't you expect
"robust" upper limbs and clavicles keeping the arms laterad to the torso?
With a 3-5 million year aquatic adaptation wouldn't you expect some true
convergent evolution of the aquatic apes to include streamlining the body
shape for continuous locomotion in an aquatic environment, such as we
find in aquatic mammals? I don''t think robusticity of the limbs, however
measured can help in this issue, Harry.
Ralph Holloway.
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