The obturator externus groove is the groove on the posterior neck of the femur for the insertion of the obturator externus muscle, a muscle that is important during bipedal locomotion. It is located within the depression of the trochanteric fossa.
This landmark is used as evidence of bipedal locomotion in the hominins.[1] The fossil Orrorin tugenensis (6-7 mya) possesses the obturator externus groove, which suggests that it moved bipedally and could represent one of the earliest fossils with evidence of bipedal locomotion.[2]
References edit
- ^ Stern, Jack T.; Larson, Susan G. (1993-05-01). "Electromyographic study of the obturator muscles in non-human primates: implications for interpreting the obturator externus groove of the femur". Journal of Human Evolution. 24 (5): 403–427. doi:10.1006/jhev.1993.1029. ISSN 0047-2484.
- ^ Pickford, Martin; Senut, Brigitte; Gommery, Dominique; Treil, Jacques (2002-09-01). "Bipedalism in Orrorin tugenensis revealed by its femora". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 1 (4): 191–203. doi:10.1016/S1631-0683(02)00028-3. ISSN 1631-0683.
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