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The Fish-Tetrapod Transition, evolution of the "elbow" in Stem Tetrapods

Biology Asked by Pdiddy on December 3, 2020

The Acanthostega and Tulerpeton limbs seem to form "elbows" in an axis perpendicular to the flexor and extensor plane of the fin. They seem to "flex" their "elbow" forwards, pre-axially. And, I assume, keep it permanently "flexed", a bit as if their humerus, ulna, and radius has been one single "V-shaped" bone. This adaptation positions the primordial hand forwards. Is this pretty much correct? Why I wonder, I always understood elbows as bending in the flexor/extensor plane, but in the first terrestrial life it seems to be in the pre-axial/post-axial plane. That probably has implications for how limbs continued to evolve, and for the embryogenesis of limbs in mammals like humans. I found that interesting.

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One Answer

The current research doesn't venture many details on the elbows/radius/ulna and locomotion biomechanics.

For the moment they just say the elbow was "slightly flexible" and that the bones were transitioning towards a round shape.

You can research deep into the resources and will perhaps find more.

Here are a resource which give context, found via "locomotor performance in stem tetrapods" https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236460049_Historical_Perspectives_on_the_Evolution_of_Tetrapodomorph_Movement

There's also a 3D study of the legs here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227857349_Three-dimensional_limb_joint_mobility_in_the_early_tetrapod_Ichthyostega

https://sandykawano.weebly.com/locomotor-biomechanics-for-moving-onto-land.html

Answered by aliential on December 3, 2020

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