Adult proportionality in small‐bodied foragers: A test of ecogeographic expectations

Kurki, Helen K.; Ginter, Jaime K.; Stock, Jay T.; Pfeiffer, Susan

doi:10.1002/ajpa.20774

Cited by 43 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The LSA populations inhabited the coast of southern Africa at 348 South, so this group represents a mid-latitude population from the Southern Hemisphere. As well, they display body proportions more similar to North Africans than to other low-latitude Sub-Saharan populations (Kurki et al, 2008). None of the mathematical stature equations applied in this study are derived from samples with the body proportions of the LSA sample.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This provides an opportunity to compare the stature estimates based on a ''generic'' formula to stature equations derived from more specific reference samples. Olivier's (1976) femur 1 tibia formula is used in this study because it was derived using a sample of African Pygmy males, representing a population more similar in body size and proportionality to the LSA and Khoe-san populations than other known-stature reference samples (although see Kurki et al, 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Body size estimation of small‐bodied humans: Applicability of current methods

Kurki

Ginter

Stock

et al. 2009

American J Phys Anthropol

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Body size (stature and mass) estimates are integral to understanding the lifeways of past populations.Body size estimation of an archaeological skeletal sample can be problematic when the body size or proportions of the population are distinctive. One such population is that of the Holocene Later Stone Age (LSA) of southern Africa, in which small stature (mean femoral length = 407 mm, n = 52) and narrow pelves (mean bi-iliac breadth = 210 mm, n = 50) produce a distinctive adult body size/shape, making it difficult to identify appropriate body size estimation methods. Material culture, morphology, and culture history link the Later Stone Age people with the descendant population collectively known as the Khoe-San. Stature estimates based on skeletal "anatomical" linear measures (the Fully method) and on long bone length are compared, along with body mass estimates derived from "morphometric" (bi-iliac breath/stature) and "biomechanical" (femoral head diameter) methods, in a LSA adult skeletal sample (n = 52) from the from coastal and near-coastal regions of South Africa. Indices of sexual dimorphism (ISD) for each method are compared with data from living populations. Fully anatomical stature is most congruent with Olivier's femur + tibia method, although both produce low ISD. McHenry's femoral head body mass formula produces estimates most consistent with the bi-iliac breadth/stature method for the females, although the males display higher degrees of disagreement among methods. These results highlight the need for formulae derived from reference samples from a wider range of body sizes to improve the reliability of existing methods.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body size estimation of small‐bodied humans: Applicability of current methods

Kurki

Ginter

Stock

et al. 2009

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…The measurements used in this study were antero-posterior femoral head breadth (abbreviation, FHB; Martin's No.,, bicondylar femoral length (FemL, M-2), maximum tibial length (TibL, M-1a), maximum humeral length (HumL, M-1), and maximum radial length (RadL, M-1). Specifically, FHB was used as an indicator of body mass, following many earlier studies (e.g., Ruff et al, 1991Ruff et al, , 2012McHenry, 1992;Ruff, 1994;Grine et al, 1995;Auerbach and Ruff, 2004;Weinstein, 2005;Kurki et al, 2008Kurki et al, , 2012Auerbach, 2011b;Temple and Matsumura, 2011). Body mass was then estimated from FHB using a recently proposed equation by Ruff et al (2012): BM (males) 5 2.80 3 FHB -66.7.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Biiliac breadth and skeletal trunk height (the summed height of vertebral column) should additionally be required to obtain closer estimates of body trunk proportions (e.g., Ruff, 1994;Kurki et al, 2008;Holliday and Hilton, 2010). Biiliac breadth and skeletal trunk height (the summed height of vertebral column) should additionally be required to obtain closer estimates of body trunk proportions (e.g., Ruff, 1994;Kurki et al, 2008;Holliday and Hilton, 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic variation in body form of prehistoric Jomon males in the Japanese archipelago: Its ecogeographic implications

Fukase

Wakebe

Tsurumoto

et al. 2012

American J Phys Anthropol

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Diversity of human body size and shape is often biogeographically interpreted in association with climatic conditions. According to Bergmann's and Allen's rules, populations in regions with a cold climate are expected to display an overall larger body and smaller/shorter extremities than those in warm/hot environments. In the present study, the skeletal limb size and proportions of prehistoric Jomon hunter-gatherers, who extensively inhabited subarctic to subtropical areas in the ancient Japanese archipelago, were examined to evaluate whether or not the inter-regional differences follow such ecogeographic patterns. Results showed that the Jomon intralimb proportions including relative distal limb lengths did not differ significantly among five regions from northern Hokkaido to the southern Okinawa Islands. This suggests a limited co-variability of the intralimb proportions with climate, particularly within genealogically close populations. In contrast, femoral head breadth (associated with body mass) and skeletal limb lengths were found to be significantly and positively correlated with latitude, suggesting a north-south geographical cline in the body size. This gradient therefore comprehensively conforms to Bergmann's rule, and may stem from multiple potential factors such as phylogenetic constraints, microevolutionary adaptation to climatic/geographic conditions during the Jomon period, and nutritional and physiological response during ontogeny. Specifically, the remarkably small-bodied Jomon in the Okinawa Islands can also be explained as an adjustment to subtropical and insular environments. Thus, the findings obtained in this study indicate that Jomon people, while maintaining fundamental intralimb proportions, displayed body size variation in concert with ambient surroundings.

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“…This sits somewhat at odds with evidence for plasticity of human body size and limb proportions (Tanner et al 1982;Bogin et al 2002), and evidence that environmental plasticity of many phenotypic characteristics can influence heritability estimates (Wells and Stock 2011). A comparison of variation in physique among the Andaman Islanders and Later Stone Age (LSA) Southern Africans (Khoisan) demonstrates that these populations share small body size and adaptations characteristic of other low-latitude populations (Kurki et al 2008); however, it is unclear whether other negrito populations share these phenotypic characteristics. There is evidence that the very first humans to occupy Southeast Asia had very small adult body size (Détroit et al this issue).…”

Section: Variation In Human Phenotype and Among Negrito Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Skeletal Phenotype of “Negritos” from the Andaman Islands and Philippines Relative to Global Variation among Hunter-Gatherers

Stock

2013

Human Biology

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The "negrito hypothesis" suggests that populations of small-bodied foragers in South and Southeast Asia who share common phenotypic characteristics may also share a common, ancient origin. The key defining characteristics of the "negrito" phenotype, small body size, dark skin, and tightly curled hair, have been interpreted as linking these populations to sub-Saharan Africans. The underlying assumption of this interpretation is that the observed phenotypic similarities likely reflect shared ancestry rather than phenotypic convergence. Current genetic evidence is inconclusive, as it both demonstrates that negrito populations have genetic affinities with neighboring populations but also rare and ancient variation that suggests considerable isolation. This study investigates the skeletal phenotype of Andaman Islanders and Aeta foragers from the Philippines in the context of the phenotypic variation among other hunter-gatherers globally, to test whether they show a common, unique physique apart from small body size. Particular emphasis is placed on the comparison of negrito phenotypes to African, Asian, and Australian hunter-gatherer diversity to investigate phenotypic similarities to other populations globally. The results demonstrate that despite sharing small adult stature, the Andaman Islanders and Aeta show variation in body dimensions. In particular, the Andaman Islanders share a pattern of narrow bi-iliac breadth and short upper limbs with the Khoisan (Later Stone Age Southern Africans), whereas the Aeta and Efé show broader bi-iliac breadths relative to lower limb lengths. Although general similarities in size and proportions remain between the Andamanese and Aeta, differences in humero-femoral indices and arm length between these groups and the Efé demonstrate that there is not a generic "pygmy" phenotype. Our interpretations of negrito origins and adaptation must account for this phenotypic variation. Abstract The "negrito hypothesis" suggests that populations of smallbodied foragers in South and Southeast Asia who share common phenotypic characteristics may also share a common, ancient origin. The key defining characteristics of the "negrito" phenotype, small body size, dark skin, and tightly curled hair, have been interpreted as linking these populations to sub-Saharan Africans. The underlying assumption of this interpretation is that the observed phenotypic similarities likely reflect shared ancestry rather than phenotypic convergence. Current genetic evidence is inconclusive, as it both demonstrates that negrito populations have genetic affinities with neighboring populations but also rare and ancient variation that suggests considerable isolation. This study investigates the skeletal phenotype of Andaman Islanders and Aeta foragers from the Philippines in the context of the phenotypic variation among other hunter-gatherers globally, to test whether they show a common, unique physique apart from small body size. Particular emphasis is placed on the comparison of negrito phenotypes to African, As...

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Adult proportionality in small‐bodied foragers: A test of ecogeographic expectations

Cited by 43 publications

References 47 publications

Body size estimation of small‐bodied humans: Applicability of current methods

Body size estimation of small‐bodied humans: Applicability of current methods

Geographic variation in body form of prehistoric Jomon males in the Japanese archipelago: Its ecogeographic implications

The Skeletal Phenotype of “Negritos” from the Andaman Islands and Philippines Relative to Global Variation among Hunter-Gatherers

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