Body proportions of Homo habilis reviewed

Haeusler, Martin; McHenry, Henry M.

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.01.004

Cited by 109 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…Based on presently available evidence, body size increase appears to have been most pronounced in H. erectus females; if confirmed, one of the remarkable changes in this species is the reduction in sexual dimorphism to within the range of modern humans (Leonard and Robertson, 1997;McHenry and Coffing, 2000;Aiello and Key, 2002). While some evidence suggests a shift in body proportions with the appearance of H. habilis (Haeusler and McHenry, 2004), a major shift in body proportions, to a linear body form with relatively long legs, was clearly in place in early representatives of H. erectus (Ruff and Walker, 1993;Lordkipanidze et al, 2007). This shift likely reflects an adaptation to maximize heat dissipation in the hot and arid environment of eastern and southern Africa (Ruff, 1993).…”

Section: Body Sizementioning

confidence: 89%

The Energetics of Encephalization in Early Hominids

Snodgrass

Leonard

Robertson

2009

The Evolution of Hominin Diets

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Bioenergetics, the study of the use and transfer of energy, can provide important insights into the ecology and evolution of early hominids. Despite a relatively large brain with high metabolic demands, contemporary humans and other primates have resting metabolic rates (RMRs) that are similar to those of other mammals. As a result, a comparatively large proportion of their resting energy budget is spent on brain metabolism among humans (~20-25%) and other primates (~8-10%) compared to other mammals (~3-5%). To understand this shift in energy budget, Aiello and Wheeler's Expensive Tissue Hypothesis (ETH) posits a metabolic trade-off-a reduction in gut size with brain size increase-to explain this phenomenon. Here, we explore the interrelationships between brain size, body size, diet, and body composition using comparative data for humans, non-human primates, and other mammals. Among living primates, the relative proportion of energy allocated to brain metabolism is positively correlated with dietary quality. Contemporary humans fall at the positive end of this relationship, having both a high quality diet and a large brain. Thus, high costs associated with the large human brain are supported, in part, by energy-rich diets. Although contemporary humans display relatively small guts, primates as a group have gut sizes that are similar to non-primate mammals. In contrast, humans and other primates have significantly less skeletal muscle for their size compared to other mammals. These comparative analyses suggest that alterations in diet quality and body composition were necessary conditions for overcoming the constraints on encephalization. Fossil evidence indicates that brain expansion with the emergence of Homo erectus at about 1.8 million years ago was likely associated with important changes in diet, body composition, and body size.

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Section: Body Sizementioning

confidence: 89%

The Energetics of Encephalization in Early Hominids

Snodgrass

Leonard

Robertson

2009

The Evolution of Hominin Diets

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“…For example, the RHL estimates for KNM-ER 1481 and KNM-ER 1472, typically assigned to H. habilis and marginally older than the Dmanisi fossils (Klein, 1999), may suggest that increased hind limb length preceded the hominin expansion into Eurasia. However, limb proportions for H. habilis are uncertain (Haeusler and McHenry, 2004), making it difficult to assess whether the Dmanisi hominins are more or less derived in terms of hind limb length. Comparing the Dmanisi and OH-8 foot is useful but inconclusive.…”

Section: Q4mentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor anatomy and biomechanics of the Dmanisi hominins

Pontzer

Rolian

Rightmire

et al. 2010

Journal of Human Evolution

148

118

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The Dmanisi hominins inhabited a northern temperate habitat in the southern Caucasus, approximately 1.8 million years ago. This is the oldest population of hominins known outside of Africa. Understanding the set of anatomical and behavioral traits that equipped this population to exploit their seasonal habitat successfully may shed light on the selection pressures shaping early members of the genus Homo and the ecological strategies that permitted the expansion of their range outside of the African subtropics. The abundant stone tools at the site, as well as taphonomic evidence for butchery, suggest that the Dmanisi hominins were active hunters or scavengers. In this study, we examine the locomotor mechanics of the Dmanisi hind limb to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of meat in the diet is associated with an increase in walking and running economy and endurance. Using comparative data from modern humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, as well as other fossil hominins, we show that the Dmanisi hind limb was functionally similar to modern humans, with a longitudinal plantar arch, increased limb length, and human-like ankle morphology. Other aspects of the foot, specifically metatarsal morphology and tibial torsion, are less derived and similar to earlier hominins. These results are consistent with hypotheses linking hunting and scavenging to improved walking and running performance in early Homo. Primitive retentions in the Dmanisi foot suggest that locomotor evolution continued through the early Pleistocene. Dear Author, Any queries or remarks that have arisen during the processing of your manuscript are listed below and highlighted by flags in the proof. Please check your proof carefully and mark all corrections at the appropriate place in the proof (e.g., by using on-screen annotation in the PDF file) or compile them in a separate list.For correction or revision of any artwork, please consult http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.Articles in Special Issues: Please ensure that the words 'this issue' are added (in the list and text) to any references to other articles in this Special Issue.Uncited references: References that occur in the reference list but not in the text e please position each reference in the text or delete it from the list.Missing references: References listed below were noted in the text but are missing from the reference list e please make the list complete or remove the references from the text. Location in articleQuery / remark Please insert your reply or correction at the corresponding line in the proof Q1Kindly check the affiliations. Q2Please check the hierarchy of section headings. Q3The following references have been changed to match the reference list: " Hermann et al., 1998" to "Hermann and Egund, 1998""Geissman (1986" to "Geissmann (1986)""Harcourt-Smith and Aeillo, 2004" to "Harcourt-Smith and Aiello, 2004". Please verify. Q4Please check the placement of footnotes citations 1e4 have been made at the end of the sentence "Parsing the independent effects." Please c...

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“…The humero-femoral index is problematic, however, in that with the possible exception of Pan troglodytes, hominid (sensu lato) humeral to femoral proportions do not show an isometric relationship with body mass (Haeusler and McHenry 2004). In light of this, a bivariate scatter plot of humerus length regressed on femur length is presented in Figure 1.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Log humeral length was then regressed on the cube root of log body mass, and OLS and RMA bivariate regression lines were fit to the recent human, Pan, and Gorilla samples. We are aware that some researchers argue that analyses of fossils should avoid predicting variables, rather focusing on analyses of homologous measurements shared between fossil and extant taxa (e.g., Haeusler and McHenry 2004;Haile-Selassie et al 2010). However, we choose to use body mass for allometric analyses because it has long been considered the most appropriate standard by which to evaluate allometry (Darveau et al 2002;Garcia and da Silva 2006;Jungers 1984;West et al 1997).…”

Section: ) Includes 35 Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2012

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We have previously argued that the femora of A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy," referred to Australopithecus afarensis) and Liang Bua (LB) 1 (holotype of Homo floresiensis) have lengths near those expected for modern humans of their diminutive size. Jungers has argued that these same fossil hominins have humeri that are close in length to those expected for modern humans of their diminutive size. Yet the humero : femoral indices of these two fossil hominins are radically different (5 to 6 standard deviations) from the modern human mean. These findings are seemingly contradictory. We investigate bivariate humeral length allometry for A.L. 288-1, LB1, and the three extant African hominid (sensu lato) genera. Results show considerable overlap in bivariate space among Homo, Pan, and (female) Gorilla individuals in humeral length relative to body mass. However, despite this overlap, humeral length allometry varies greatly among the taxa, showing slight positive allometry to isometry in Homo, while showing strong negative allometry in Pan and Gorilla. Ordinary least-squares and reduced major axis regression lines of human humeral length on body mass 1/3 lie near, but more often fall below, the observed humeral lengths of A.L. 288-1 and LB1, indicating that these fossil hominins have slightly longer humeri than would be expected for humans of their small size. In terms of femoral length, A.L. 288-1 and LB1 had somewhat shorter femora than expected for a human of their small size. This combination of slightly longer humeri and somewhat shorter femora than modern humans accounts for these specimens' high humero : femoral indices.

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Body proportions of Homo habilis reviewed

Cited by 109 publications

References 84 publications

The Energetics of Encephalization in Early Hominids

The Energetics of Encephalization in Early Hominids

Locomotor anatomy and biomechanics of the Dmanisi hominins

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