Your wrist and thumb may be immobilized for 3 to 6 weeks. This is more evidence that they are analogous structures. Trapeziectomy: Removal of the trapezium bone in your wrist, located at the base of the thumb, may be needed due to arthritis. The panda thumb and the human thumb don’t grow from the same bones. The panda thumb is just one bone sticking out of the side of the hand.įurthermore, the panda thumb is the sixth “finger” on its hand! If you watched the hand of a baby panda grow, you would see that the “thumb” develops from a wrist bone. When you look at the bones of each, you see that the thumbs are not very similar at all! The human thumb has joints and is made of many bones. Studying the anatomy of panda hands and human hands shows that these “thumbs” must be analogous. Is the panda’s “thumb” homologous or analogous to the thumb on your own hand? Photo courtesy of John White They use this “thumb” to hold onto bamboo as they eat. For example, panda bears have a “thumb” on their hands. Through careful study, biologist can also identify analogies.

Information on controversies in the public arena relating to evolution.

Alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards.

The big issues – Pacing, diversity, complexity, and trends.

Macroevolution – Evolution above the species level.

Microevolution – Evolution within a population.

Mechanisms: the processes of evolution – Selection, mutation, migration, and more.

The history of life: looking at the patterns – Change over time and shared ancestors.

Though the connection is not completely understood, if lunulae are absent on all fingers (including the thumb), you might have anemia, malnutrition or depression ( 1 ).

An introduction to evolution: what is evolution and how does it work? Your lunula are almost always visible on your thumbnails the rest of your lunulae might just be hiding under the base of your fingernail in the skin.

Why is your thumb not a finger