Foramen Magnum

Research involving the position and angle of the foramen magnum has produced supporting evidence that australopithecines were indeed bipedal creatures. In modern humans the foramen magnum is oriented anteriorly at an incline whereas in great apes it is oriented posteriorly at an incline (Kimbel & Rak, 2010). The australopithecine foramen magnum data indicates that the orientation of reconstructed crania is similar to that of both modern humans and apes. Kimbel and Rak found that the foramen magnum is situated more anteriorly similar to modern humans but the angle of orientation inclines posteriorly as it does in apes (2010). The position of the foramen magnum indicates only that australopithecines were able to use bipedal locomotion as compared to their quadrupedal relatives; it does not provide much in the way of evidence for cranial capacity or locomotor differences between australopithecines and modern humans (Kimbel & Rak, 2010).