Author
Listed:
- Sergio Almécija
(Stony Brook University Medical Center
American Museum of Natural History and NYCEP
Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Edifici ICP, Campus de la UAB s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès)
- Melissa Tallman
(Grand Valley State University)
- David M. Alba
(Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Edifici ICP, Campus de la UAB s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès
Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125)
- Marta Pina
(Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Edifici ICP, Campus de la UAB s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès)
- Salvador Moyà-Solà
(ICREA at Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont and Unitat d’Antropologia Biològica (Dept. BABVE), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Edifici ICP, Campus de la UAB s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès)
- William L. Jungers
(Stony Brook University Medical Center)
Abstract
Orrorin tugenensis (Kenya, ca. 6 Ma) is one of the earliest putative hominins. Its proximal femur, BAR 1002′00, was originally described as being very human-like, although later multivariate analyses showed an australopith pattern. However, some of its traits (for example, laterally protruding greater trochanter, medially oriented lesser trochanter and presence of third trochanter) are also present in earlier Miocene apes. Here, we use geometric morphometrics to reassess the morphological affinities of BAR 1002′00 within a large sample of anthropoids (including fossil apes and hominins) and reconstruct hominoid proximal femur evolution using squared-change parsimony. Our results indicate that both hominin and modern great ape femora evolved in different directions from a primitive morphology represented by some fossil apes. Orrorin appears intermediate between Miocene apes and australopiths in shape space. This evidence is consistent with femoral shape similarities in extant great apes being derived and homoplastic and has profound implications for understanding the origins of human bipedalism.
Suggested Citation
Sergio Almécija & Melissa Tallman & David M. Alba & Marta Pina & Salvador Moyà-Solà & William L. Jungers, 2013.
"The femur of Orrorin tugenensis exhibits morphometric affinities with both Miocene apes and later hominins,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-12, December.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3888
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3888
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