Number of Lumbar Vertebrae

Certainty Style Key

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True Likely Speculative

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Human Uniqueness Compared to "Great Apes":

Likely Difference

MOCA Domain:

Anatomy and Biomechanics

MOCA Topic Authors:

Nissi Varki

There is a high numerical variability of vertebrae in the chimpanzee. If the length of the spinal regions is expressed in percentage of trunk length, the adult chimpanzee averages, in the following order: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral: 23, 51,22, 26, whereas in an adult human the corresponding figures are 25, 52, 38, 25 (Schultz, 1961). In addition, the dorsal spines of the second to the seventh cervical vertebrae are longer in chimpanzees than in man.