Developmental variation in ecogeographic body proportions

Cowgill, Libby W.; Eleazer, Courtney D.; Auerbach, Benjamin M.; Temple, Daniel H.; Okazaki, Ken

doi:10.1002/ajpa.22072

Cited by 87 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 97 publications

(144 reference statements)

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“…Similar proportional differences are already detectable in our fetal/infant sample ( Fig. 1), which is consistent with other studies of subadult body proportions (28,29). European Americans tend to have a wider and a longer ilium relative to femur length ( Fig.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Weaver

Coqueugniot

Golovanova³

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Neandertal and modern human adults differ in skeletal features of the cranium and postcranium, and it is clear that many of the cranial differences-although not all of them-are already present at the time of birth. We know less, however, about the developmental origins of the postcranial differences. Here, we address this deficiency with morphometric analyses of the postcrania of the two most complete Neandertal neonates-Mezmaiskaya 1 (from Russia) and Le Moustier 2 (from France)-and a recent human sample. We find that neonatal Neandertals already appear to possess the wide body, long pubis, and robust long bones of adult Neandertals. Taken together, current evidence indicates that skeletal differences between Neandertals and modern humans are largely established by the time of birth. body proportions | climatic adaptation | Homo neanderthalensis | infracranial | ontogeny

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Weaver

Coqueugniot

Golovanova³

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…By contrast, relative limb dimensions are positively congruent with environmental factors such as latitude and annual temperature. This finding is in line with other studies that also found a relationship between limb morphology and various environmental factors [35,38,44,60,61]. Upper limb dimensions were found to be significantly and strongly correlated with maximum temperature, with OTUs from warmer climates having relatively longer and more slender upper limb bones.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…While earlier research showed a strong relationship between intralimb indices and temperature based upon the predictions of Allen's rule [33], other analyses have demonstrated that there may have been a considerable time lag between occupation of an environment and the expression of adaptation in limb proportions [34,35]. This 'lag' may explain recent evidence that the correlation between intralimb proportions and climate appears to be weaker than expected, and the suggestion that these traits are genetically conservative [38,65]. This evidence for long-term adaptation in limb proportions among past populations, however, sits at odds with evidence [66] demonstrating both rapid changes in limb proportions of migrant populations [67] and mechanisms of developmental plasticity that could underpin the variation we see in intralimb proportions [37,68].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Skull and limb morphology differentially track population history and environmental factors in the transition to agriculture in Europe

2013

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The Neolithic transition in Europe was a complex mosaic spatio-temporal process, involving both demic diffusion from the Near East and the cultural adoption of farming practices by indigenous hunter-gatherers. Previous analyses of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and Early Neolithic farmers suggest that cranial shape variation preserves the population history signature of the Neolithic transition. However, the extent to which these same demographic processes are discernible in the postcranium is poorly understood. Here, for the first time, crania and postcranial elements from the same 11 prehistoric populations are analysed together in an internally consistent theoretical and methodological framework. Results show that while cranial shape reflects the population history differences between Mesolithic and Neolithic lineages, relative limb dimensions exhibit significant congruence with environmental variables such as latitude and temperature, even after controlling for geography and time. Also, overall limb size is found to be consistently larger in hunter-gatherers than farmers, suggesting a reduction in size related to factors other than thermoregulatory adaptation. Therefore, our results suggest that relative limb dimensions are not tracking the same demographic population history as the cranium, and point to the strong influence of climatic, dietary and behavioural factors in determining limb morphology, irrespective of underlying neutral demographic processes.

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“…Most recent analyses continue to interpret variation in human limb proportions as being adaptive in response to environmental stress (Temple et al 2008) and relatively stable throughout development (Cowgill et al 2012). 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).…”

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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Developmental variation in ecogeographic body proportions

Cited by 87 publications

References 97 publications

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Neonatal postcrania from Mezmaiskaya, Russia, and Le Moustier, France, and the development of Neandertal body form

Skull and limb morphology differentially track population history and environmental factors in the transition to agriculture in Europe

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

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