A Geometric Morphometric Study of Scapular Ontogeny in Modern Humans

These results expand upon our understanding of the development of the human shoulder and our interpretations of juvenile scapulae in the hominin fossil record. Human juveniles, who climb and engage in arboreal behavior more frequently than adults, have a scapula whose morphology is poorly suited to arboreal movement. Whether this is evolutionarily or functionally driven will be explored in further studies using comparative analyses.