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Table 1 Composition of sample of vertebrae from the 71 humans, 36 chimpanzees, and 15 orangutans included in study

From: The ancestral shape hypothesis: an evolutionary explanation for the occurrence of intervertebral disc herniation in humans

Taxon

Female

Male

Unknown

Total

Orangutans

    

 Last thoracic

4

8

0

12

 First lumbar

5

9

1

15

 Combined

9

17

1

27

Chimpanzees

    

 Last thoracic

8

17

0

25

 First lumbar

6

19

6

31

 Combined

14

36

6

56

Healthy humans

    

 Last thoracic

12

14

0

26

 First lumbar

15

17

2

34

 Combined

27

31

2

60

Pathological humans

    

 Last thoracic

13

20

0

33

 First lumbar

6

13

2

21

 Combined

19

33

2

54

  1. Pathological humans = human vertebrae with Schmorl’s nodes. Healthy humans = human vertebrae without Schmorl’s nodes or other pathologies. None of the orangutan or chimpanzee vertebrae were pathological.