Question

1. the palmaris longus muscle is located between the flexor carpi radialis and the flexor carpi ulnaris. about 14% of the population are born without this muscle.

to see if you have this muscle, touch your pinky and thumb together and flex your wrist. the tendon will stick out if you have the muscle.
do you have this muscle?

this muscle is considered vestigial, because it has no function. doctors can use the tendon to repair other tendons. what do you think this muscle was used for in other primates?

Explanation:

1. For the first question, it requires a personal self-check by touching the pinky and thumb together, then flexing the wrist to observe if a tendon sticks out.
2. For the second question, other primates rely on this muscle for strong, precise grasping and climbing movements, such as gripping tree branches tightly or manipulating objects with their hands in a more robust way than humans.

Answer:

1. (Personal response based on self-test: e.g., "Yes, I have this muscle" or "No, I do not have this muscle")
2. In other primates, this muscle was used for powerful grasping and climbing, to tightly hold onto tree branches and manipulate objects with greater hand strength.