Natural selection, genetic drift, and trait correlation shaped hominin midfoot evolution
Klara Komza, Bence Viola, Lauren Schroeder · 2026
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Description
Klara Komza, Bence Viola, and Lauren Schroeder apply quantitative genetics to fossil feet, asking which evolutionary forces shaped the hominin midfoot as our relatives took up upright walking. The midfoot carries key bipedal traits and is often cast as a simple selection story, with early pressure on its outer, lateral side. The authors test that story against a null model of pure genetic drift.
Their results back lateral selection in Ardipithecus ramidus, the earliest species studied, but later lineages show no steady pattern of the outer elements escaping directional selection. Instead, drift, directional selection, and side effects from correlation between neighboring bones all left marks together. A bone can change simply because it is developmentally tied to another bone under selection. The authors warn that walking evolution stories have underrated drift and trait correlation, and should be retold with both included.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Klara Komza, Bence Viola, Lauren Schroeder |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 69911 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |