Absence of Baculum (Penis Bone)

Certainty Style Key

Hover over keys for definitions:

True Likely Speculative

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Human Uniqueness Compared to "Great Apes":

Absolute Difference

MOCA Domain:

Reproductive Biology and Disease

MOCA Topic Authors:

Pascal Gagneux

Great apes have a baculum (penis) bone (a small bone situated near the tip of the penis between the urethra and corpus cavernosum) and humans do not. The evolutionary reasons and the genetic basis for this difference are unknown. One possible function of the baculum is protection of the urethra.

Related MOCA Topics

Timing

Timing of Appearance of the Difference in the Hominin Lineage.

For this entry assume that

the common ancestor of humans and old world monkeys was 25000 thousand (25 million) years ago
the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees was 6000 thousand (6 million) years ago
the emergence of the genus Homo was 2000 thousand (2 million) years ago
the common ancestor of modern humans was 100 thousand years ago

Possible Appearance:

6000 Thousand Years

Probable Appearance:

2000 Thousand Years

Definite Appearance:

100 Thousand Years

References:

Martin RD. 2007. The evolution of human reproduction: a primatological perspective. Am J Phys Anthropol. Suppl 45:59-84.

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