What evolved first, a dexterous hand or an agile foot?

Resolving a long-standing mystery in human evolution, new research from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute indicates that early hominids developed finger dexterity and tool use ability before the development of bipedal locomotion.

Combining monkey and human behavior, brain imaging, and fossil evidence, a research team led by neurobiologist Dr. Atsushi Iriki and including Dr. Gen Suwa, an anthropologist from the University of Tokyo Museum, have overturned the common assumption that manual dexterity evolved after the development of bipedal locomotion freed hominid hands to use fingers for tool manipulation.

In a study published today in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, [...] sciencedaily.com


Actualización 20-10-13. ¿Qué evolucionó antes, las manos hábiles o los pies hábiles?
Según un estudio liderado por el neurobiólogo Atsushi Iriki, la habilidad con los dedos, y para utilizar herramientas con las manos fue anterior al andar bípedo.

Iriki, junto con el antropólogo Gen Suwa, de la Universidad del Museo de Tokio, estudiaron a diversos primates, incluyéndonos a nosotros, y a nuestros ancestros fósiles...