Final answer:
The prenatal growth patterns of apes and humans differ in brain and body growth rates, development of specific features, and skeletal structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prenatal growth patterns of apes and humans differ in several ways. One key difference is the relative growth rates of the brain and body. In apes, the brain grows at a slower rate compared to the body, whereas in humans, the brain grows at a faster rate than the body. This leads to the characteristic large brain size and complex cognitive abilities of humans.
Another distinction is the development of specific features during different stages of prenatal growth. For example, the human fetus develops distinct human-like facial features and limbs (arms and legs) earlier in the prenatal period compared to apes. The presence of these features is indicative of the human development pathway.
Lastly, the skeletal structure also differs between apes and humans during prenatal growth. Humans exhibit a more pronounced shift towards a bipedal locomotion pattern, with changes in the shape of the pelvis and other skeletal features. Apes, on the other hand, retain more characteristics of their arboreal ancestry with longer limbs and curved fingers/toes.