Anatomy, Comparative; Embryology, Human; Evolution; Human beings -- Origin
As a matter of fact, it is possible to draw such a sharp morphological
distinction--a distinction based on anatomic structure--between the
fore and hind extremity. In the formation both of the bony skeleton
and of the muscles that are connected with the hand and foot before
and behind there are material and constant differences; and these are
found both in man and the ape. For instance, the number and
arrangement of the smaller bones of the hand and foot are quite
different. There are similar constant differences in the muscles. The
hind extremity always has three muscles (a short flexor muscle, a
short extensor muscle, and a long calf-muscle) that are not found in
the fore extremity. The arrangement of the muscles also is different
before and behind. These characteristic differences between the fore
and hind extremities are found in man as well as the ape. There can be
no doubt, therefore, that the ape's foot deserves that name just as
much as the human foot does, and that all true apes are just as
"bimanous" as man. The common distinction of the apes as
"quadrumanous" is altogether wrong morphologically.
But it may be asked whether, quite apart from this, we can find any
other features that distinguish man more sharply from the ape than the
various species of apes are distinguished from each other. Huxley gave
so complete and demonstrative a reply to this question that the
opposition still raised on many sides is absolutely without
foundation. On the ground of careful comparative anatomical research,
Huxley proved that in all morphological respects the differences
between the highest and lowest apes are greater than the corresponding
differences between the highest apes and man. He thus restored Linne's
order of the Primates (excluding the bats), and divided it into three
sub-orders, the first composed of the half-apes (Lemuridae), the
second of the true apes (Simiadae), the third of men (Anthropidae).
But, as we wish to proceed quite consistently and impartially on the
laws of systematic logic, we may, on the strength of Huxley's own law,
go a good deal farther in this division. We are justified in going at
least one important step farther, and assigning man his natural place
within one of the sections of the order of apes. All the features that
characterise this group of apes are found in man, and not found in the
other apes. We do not seem to be justified, therefore, in founding for
man a special order distinct from the apes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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