Former Doctor Who Actor David Tennant Confirmed He Has 11 Toes
Actor David Tennant has an extra toe. Two anatomists explain what’s so fascinating about polydactyly.
A common anatomical variation is being born with more than ten fingers or more than ten toes.
Former Doctor Who actor David Tennant this week confirmed he has 11 toes. He says he was born with an extra toe on his right foot, meaning he has polydactyly.
Here’s how this anatomical variation occurs, and how common it really is.
Let’s Start In The Womb
The term polydactyly is derived from the Greek poly (meaning many) and dactyly (referring to fingers or toes or digits). To understand it, we need to start with how an embryo develops in the womb.
Developing hands and feet start as limb buds, which look like little flat paddles. But with polydactyly, an extra finger or toe grows fr...
