In any case, if the bio-system was simply assembled in a factory (somewhere) using appropriate technology, you might well find the exact same process exhibited as a mammal's feet were grown.
It's the height of hubris to look at something like this and conclude that there are magical/mystical/butotherwise unmeasurable forces at work, lurking in the background, deciding that feet should/must develop in this manner.
The simplest solution is the design engineers at the "mammal feet" factory came up with this one because it was more economical, easier, superior to other methods, or they didn't wrap up the job as well as they thought they did.
ROFLMAO, that's exactly what I was thinking.
The simplest solution is the design engineers at the "mammal feet" factory came up with this one because it was more economical, easier, superior to other methods, or they didn't wrap up the job as well as they thought they did.
Aw, How cute!!! ......
Or... it could be evolution at it's best. ;)