The RELICT HOMINOID INQUIRY 2:1-21 (2013) Research Article SURFACE ANATOMY AND SUBCUTANEOUS ADIPOSE TISSUE FEATURES IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE PATTERSON- GIMLIN FILM HOMINID Bill Munns1*, Jeff Meldrum2 1Blue Jay, CA 92317 2Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, 921 S. 8th Ave, Pocatello, ID 83209 ABSTRACT. The anatomical form of the Patterson-Gimlin film (PGF) hominid has been debated for many years, in in terms of musculoskeletal anatomy (if it is biologically real), or costume material flaws (if it is a hoax). What has been neglected however, are comparisons and contrasts of equivalent surface anatomy and subcutaneous adipose features of real human and great ape bodies. Many presumed anomalies seen in the appearance of the film subject have been uncritically attributed to artifacts of a fabricated costume. It has been asserted that these attributes are inconsistent with real musculoskeletal anatomy. An examination of normal human and great ape surface anatomy reveals that the PGF hominid’s anatomical features are, in fact, found in the superficial tissues of the human body that is aged, lacks superficial physical or athletic tone, or has not been altered by either surgical procedures or digital enhancement (“photoshopped”). The presence of equivalent surface anatomy features in the hominid body that are consistent with observed traits of the PGF hominid nullifies previous claims that such traits of necessity indicate a costume. Rather they are consistent with the conclusion that the PGF hominid indeed represents a novel primate species. KEY WORDS: sasquatch, great apes, surface anatomy, skin folds, cellulite, fur costume effects INTRODUCTION novel biological entity. The second line of reasoning tries to explain the subject’s The best known images offered as evidence of appearance in relation to a fabricated fur suit, the existence of sasquatch, a.k.a. Bigfoot, is to support the argument that the film’s the 16mm film (PGF) shot by Roger Patterson hominid subject is merely a human performer and Bob Gimlin in 1967 in northern wearing a costume, and thus conclude that the California. The nature of the subject seen film depicts a hoax. walking across a sand bar at the Bluff Creek However, in addition to the internal site has been debated and analyzed for 45 framework provided by the musculoskeletal years. The objectives of this analysis address anatomy, there are variable amounts of two opposing lines of reasoning. One line of adipose tissue distributed beneath the skin of reasoning tries to compare and explain the the primate body. Comparisons to features of anatomical appearance of the subject in surface anatomy and variations in appearance relation to human and/or great ape of subcutaneous adipose tissue in humans and musculoskeletal structure, to support the nonhuman primates, especially the closely position that the film’s subject depicts a real related great apes have generally been *Correspondence to: Bill Munns, email: [email protected] © RHI BILL MUNNS & JEFF MELDRUM 2 neglected. To test these hypotheses, anatomical Similarities in the patterns of deposition, features in question are described and metabolism and genetics of obesity reflect the compared and contrasted with examples of common evolutionary ancestry of humans and both human and ape surface anatomy and with apes (Comuzzie et al, 2003). They both fabricated costumes created specifically for exhibit the potential for energy storage as the purpose of this study, as well as examples subcutaneous adipose tissue and even obesity employed previously in the industry. A in the presence of excess calories (Pond and literature for techniques of costume design Mattacks, 1987). A study of 53 species of and fabrication is sparse because the costume anthropoid primates found that some captive industry does not traditionally build costumes specimens such as orangutans, weighed more for scientific experimentation, but rather than non-captive (wild) ones (Leigh, 1994). customized commercial enterprises. The Primates also exhibit sexual dimorphism in visual display of such costumes is typically in deposition of adipose tissue, with reproductive the form of edited film or video footage with demands dictating more subcutaneous adipose the specific aim of hiding or removing deposits in females than males generally evidence of costume flaws and imperfections. (MacFarland, 1987). A longitudinal study of This field does not traditionally publish captive baboons revealed that sex differences customized methodologies and competition in skinfold thickness appear early and become within the industry discourages publicizing more pronounced during development personalized techniques. However, statements (Coelho, 1985). Hominids exhibit increased addressing the features of costumes by one deposits of adipose with age and sedentary author (Munns) are based upon 40 years of habits, in characteristics locations on the body professional practice in this arena. (Giron et al., 1981; Markman and Barton, 1987; Ayelar, 1989; Schwartz et al, 1990; FILM IMAGE DATA Kohrt et al., 1992; Kahn and Wolfram-Gabel, 2004). The Patterson-Gimlin film consists of 954 Therefore, particular features of the PGF individual image frames (personal obser- hominid that may not be readily attributed to vation). Of those 954 frames, about 40% of the framework of musculoskeletal anatomy them are relatively sharp and do not contain may either be accounted for through significant motion blur. Of those relatively comparison to the appearance of subcutaneous sharp frames, about 100 may be considered adipose tissue, rather than as implied artifacts pristine in image sharpness. They depict the of costume materials. The later concept forms filmed hominid in various poses, and varying the null hypothesis of this study: i.e., that such distances, and varying angles of the body in supposedly anomalous features do not occur relation to the camera’s true line of sight. This naturally as anatomical features of hominid constitutes the sampling of image data bodies and are thus indication of a hoaxed forming the basis for study of the anatomy of costume. The alternate hypothesis states that the PGF hominid. The film resolution is such features do occur naturally in human and sufficient to study the details of surface ape surface anatomy, and defy the limits of anatomy and specific aspects of body masses fabricated costumes employing materials that are more than one inch in actual size. available in 1967 and created to industry Features below one inch in size (eyes, lips, standards either then or now. Therefore, these fingers, etc.) are below the limits of resolution features constitute evidence of a real provided by the film. biological entity. There are additionally 12 individual film ADIPOSE TISSUE IN THE P-G FILM HOMINID 3 frames, which were printed from the camera- movie, and he loaned ANE the camera- original film by a high quality photographic original so they might make their own process, generally referred to as the copies for editorial purposes in Cibachromes. They represent an excellent assembling their program. They also quality source of data for anatomical study, used an optical printer so they could do but they are known to also have some types of zoom-in copies, freeze-frames, etc. It image artifacts which would convey false appears they used a liquid-gate printing data. The methodology for identifying these process, because these copies, made long image artifacts and excluding them from after the two earlier groups, have fewer analysis is to compare each Cibachrome scratches, and the original was reported image with at least two other distinct copies of to be scratched up from repeated the film frame in question, and determine if projection. The liquid-gate printing the trait is present in those additional reference process is specifically used to eliminate copies. If the anatomical trait is not most scratches on the cell side of movie consistently present, the trait can be film (note that the process cannot repair considered an image artifact and excluded or eliminate scratches on the emulsion from analysis. If the trait can be found on side). But most scratches seen on other image copies made from the camera- examples of the PAC group copies and original by different laboratories, and thus be the Green/Dahinden group copies appear demonstrated independent of the to be cell side scratches. Cibachromes, then the trait may be reliably 4. The Cibachrome Group. The 12 considered part of the camera-original image. images made as Cibachrome prints There are five known separate instances around 1980 were done by Rene when the camera original film was copied. Dahinden and Bruce Bonney from the They are: camera-original. 5. The Transparency Group. At some 1. Patterson Archive Copy (PAC) point in time, Patterson had Kodak Labs Group. Roger Patterson had a lab make make some 4x5-inch transparencies from full-frame contact prints of his original. the camera-original. These five excellent 2. The Green/Dahinden Group. John quality transparencies are in the Green and Rene Dahinden acquired possession of Patterson’s widow. Canadian rights to Patterson’s film and borrowed the camera-original to make Having access to the films themselves, or their own study/presentation copies by a to high resolution scans from all these copy process using an optical printer -- a groups, the authors can compare a given device that allows for full-frame, image frame across several copies to insure zoomed-in, slow-motion effect, and