Why Don’t Humans Have Tails?

[dlamberth]

"To find out how and why humans lost their tails, Xia and his colleagues examined the early stages of embryonic development, during which certain genes are switched on and off. Those genes control the formation of different parts of a skeleton.


Scientists had already identified several genes fundamental to tail development in other animals, so the study authors suspected a genetic mutation, or a combination of them, might have erased tails in our ancestors. They compared the DNA of six species of tailless apes, including humans, to 15 species of tailed monkeys to find a mutation that apes and humans share, but monkeys lack. Eventually, their search led them to a gene called TBXT."

Why Don’t Humans Have Tails? An Old Genetic Mutation Could Explain Why Monkeys, but Not Apes, Have the Extra Appendage

 

[stevil]

"To find out how and why humans lost their tails

Interesting phrasing.

Humans never had tails, so didn't lose them.
None of the the great apes have tails, so our common ancestors didn't have tails. Maybe at some point our apelike ancestors had tails, but Humans never did.

 

[AV1611VET]

Why don't humans have tails?

We're not what you think we are.

 

[Tinker Grey]

We had a thread on this a couple weeks ago: Why humans no longer have tails ..

 

[Estrid]

Interesting phrasing.

Humans never had tails, so didn't lose them.
None of the the great apes have tails, so our common ancestors didn't have tails. Maybe at some point our apelike ancestors had tails, but Humans never did.

What, never?

Spectrum of human tails: A report of six cases

Human tail is a curiosity, a cosmetic stigma and presents as an appendage in the lumbosacral region. Six patients of tail in the lumbosacral region are presented here to discuss the spectrum of presentation of human tails. The embryology, pathology and ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Well, hardly ever.

 

[BeyondET]

What, never?

Spectrum of human tails: A report of six cases

Human tail is a curiosity, a cosmetic stigma and presents as an appendage in the lumbosacral region. Six patients of tail in the lumbosacral region are presented here to discuss the spectrum of presentation of human tails. The embryology, pathology and ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Well, hardly ever.

You start off with a tail that swims up to the uterus. It's powerful can swim through mucus hundred times thicker than water.

 

[stevil]

What, never?

Spectrum of human tails: A report of six cases

Human tail is a curiosity, a cosmetic stigma and presents as an appendage in the lumbosacral region. Six patients of tail in the lumbosacral region are presented here to discuss the spectrum of presentation of human tails. The embryology, pathology and ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Well, hardly ever.

Vestigials , well, there you go.

 

[AV1611VET]

What, never?

Never.

Well, hardly ever.

Those aren't tails.

They are spinal dysraphisms or tethered spinal cords.

Not tails.

 

[stevil]

Those aren't tails.

They are spinal dysraphisms or tethered spinal cords.

Not tails.

That's not a pencil, that's a piece of graphite wrapped in a cylinder of wood.

 

[Estrid]

That's not a pencil, that's a piece of graphite wrapped in a cylinder of wood.

The grim spectre of equivocation is
helpless against a mere babe's vestigial tail.

 

[AV1611VET]

That's not a pencil, that's a piece of graphite wrapped in a cylinder of wood.

QV please:

A tethered spinal cord occurs when the spinal cord is attached to tissue around the spine, most commonly at the base of the spine. As a result, the spinal cord can’t move freely within the spinal canal. This can cause the spinal cord to stretch out as the spine grows, leading to possible nerve damage, pain and other symptoms. In most cases, the condition becomes worse over time.

SOURCE

QV also:

All forms of spinal dysraphism result from an event very early in an embryo’s development. In about the third week of development, a sheet of cells called the neural plate folds up to form a structure called the neural tube. The top of the neural tube develops into the brain, and the rest of the neural tube develops into the spine and spinal cord. Spinal dysraphism results when a section of the neural tube that will become the spine and spinal cord does not close completely.

SOURCE

 

[AV1611VET]

The grim spectre of equivocation is helpless against a mere babe's vestigial tail.

You want to see a human with a tail?

Here you go:

 

[Bob Crowley]

We can't get them to fit inside our trousers.

 

[Estrid]

We can't get them to fit inside our trousers.

We?

 

[Bob Crowley]

Equal opportunity these days.

 

[jayem]

Don't disparage the coccyx. Those 3-5 small vertebrae are attaching points for several muscles that stabilize the pelvis floor. The puborectalis and sphincter ani externus, which insert into the front of the coccyx, are vital for maintaining bowel control. Not to mention that the largest muscle in the body--the gluteus maximus--is attached to the posterior (rear surface) of the coccyx, and enables hip and thigh movements. Without a proper anchor point for these muscles, running and climbing stairs would be very difficult. And wearing diapers would be necessary. More details in the link:

Soft Tissues and Essential Functions of the Coccyx

 

[Ophiolite]

running and climbing stairs would be very difficult. And wearing diapers would be necessary.

Well, that's the way my body seems to be heading! Has someone stolen my coccyx?