Isabella Araiza (she/her/hers)

My research examines the evolutionary implications behind forelimb morphology in hominins and extant apes. The upper limb is vital to primate locomotor behaviors that involves acquiring food, evading predators, and seeking shelter. Existing evidence suggests forelimb morphology is a reliable signal of locomotor behaviors. Thus, it is reasonable to infer that the Last Common Ancestor relied on its forelimbs for movement across arboreal and terrestrial substrates. Understanding these adaptations will broaden our understanding of hominin evolution and functional morphology.