What type of feet should semiarboreal humanoids have?

My semiarboreal humanoids have a build quite similar to humans, apart from some more specialized arboreal adaptations. They live in rainforests quite similar to the Amazon Rainforest. Though trees are important to their foraging and structures during rainy season, they still need to run or at least walk efficiently on the ground, as they travel long distances, gather certain materials, and hunt there.

To go more into depth, humans have arched feet to assist in bearing weight bipedally. My humanoids are bipedal as well, but they spend a tad less time on the ground then humans, yet less time in trees than chimpanzees. Chimpanzees do not have arches. Some studies have results that would suggest human and chimpanzee feet have similar climbing capabilities. The previously linked article mentions:

But my takeaway from these two studies is that if we were not shod and walking on hard floors and streets all the time, our human feet would easily be able to work like Chimpanzee feet.

Comparing the gaits of humans and chimpanzees, chimpanzees 'hobble', likely because of their bowed legs, but their feet may affect their gaits as well. In looking for a foot design that can both climb well and walk well, I have considered a combination between a human-like foot and a chimpamzee-like foot. My questions regarding such an intermediate are:

• What will be sacrificed from ground locomotion?

• What will be sacrificed from climbing?

• Should the species not have an intermediate foot, and instead have one or the other?

My guess is that the species I am working on should be able to walk on the forest floor more efficiently than chimpanzees, but likely not run as fast or for as long as humans.

Edit: To clarify, I would like to say that I am looking for feet that would allow them to stay in trees securely as chimpanzees or gibbons do. They should be able to rely on their feet for stability on branches while reaching for things or eating briefly.

posted almost 6 years ago

Cas‭

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