In literary usage, rudimentary is someone who has come from the past, risen from oblivion. The word "rudiment" in a non-biological context means a relic of a phenomenon that has long since disappeared.
Word in scientific literature
Rudimentary is an adjective used in biology and medicine to describe a body part or organ that has lost its original meaning. The function performed by this organ is not significant at the present stage of the historical development of the species, and it is close to extinction.
The catch is that it is rarely possible to say for sure whether it is a rudimentary organ or not. After all, the morphology of an organ, even if it is simply arranged or small in size, does not indicate its progressiveness or rudimentary nature.
Some features of the use of the term
In French scientific sources, this adjective is found in the meaning of "arising", that is, rudimentary, but with the prospect of development, not extinction. In turn, a similar meaning is transferred to organs that arise in phylogenesis (inEnglish and American sources), which means that there rudimentary is nascent, as opposed to the generally accepted meaning of the concept.
Rudiments in humans
Some formations and organs in the course of the evolutionary development of the species lose their function, it becomes unnecessary in the changed conditions of life.
But you can't say that the vestigial organs have become useless, rather, they have changed their function. See the table for examples.
| Rudiment | Former function | Modern function |
| Coccyx | Movement coordination | Fixation of muscles and ligaments, proper distribution of the load on the pelvic girdle |
| Appendix | Digesting plant fiber from raw foods | Reproduction site for symbiotic bacteria, production of hormones, vitamin K |
| Body hairline | Warm body, protect skin | Participation in thermoregulation, preventing diaper rash in places where sweat glands accumulate (armpits, inguinal folds) |
| Wisdom Teeth | Grinding coarse unprocessed food | Replacing large molars in case of loss |
| Epiphysis | Considered to be a remnant of the structure of the visualpath | The most important regulatory organ influencing the functioning of the glands |
On the other hand, the ear muscles or the epicanthal fold do not currently perform significant functions in the human body.
Rudiments and atavisms
Both of these concepts are found as evidence of evolution. They are often confused, because these are, in fact, different facets of the same phenomena. The rudiments, as mentioned above, are underdeveloped or in their infancy, but are characteristic of all individuals of the species. Atavisms, on the other hand, rarely appear and are a vestige that has developed to the full (tail, facial hair in humans).
