Immature remains and the first partial skeleton of a juvenile Homo naledi, a late Middle Pleistocene hominin from South Africa

Bolter, Debra R.; Elliott, Marina; Hawks, John; Berger, Lee

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230440

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The latter design will provide both distance and velocity, or size and rate of change, F I G U R E 3 Tooth eruption sequence for primary ("baby") and secondary dentition but takes a relatively long time to succeed and is expensive. (Berger et al, 2015;Bolter, Elliott, Hawks, & Berger, 2020;Bolter, Hawks, Bogin, & Cameron, 2018;Dirks et al, 2015;Dirks et al, 2017…”

Section: Growth Study Design and Implications For The Pattern Of Grmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three young juveniles are identified with first permanent molars erupted. One older juvenile has been identified from a hemi-mandible with the second molars erupted, and an additional older juvenile has been identified based on duplicated postcranial remains for this age class (Bolter et al, 2020). A sub-adult has third molars erupted but unworn.…”

Section: Size and The Prediction Of Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In humans, there is a high correlation between a youth's height based on level of skeletal maturity and their adult height (Beunen et al, 1997;Tanner, Landt, Cameron, Carter, & Patel, 1983). For H. naledi, one partial immature skeleton of mid-maturity has been associated, attributable to the older juvenile life stage (Bolter et al, 2020). Applying a human auxology model to this recently extinct Homo species, which predicts 80% adult stature at this skeletal maturity, height of DH7 would be 111-125 cm.…”

Section: Juvenile Heightmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Homo erectus KNM-WT 15000, also the same stage of skeletal maturity, is considerably taller at 160 cm (Ruff & Walker, 1993). excavations, with a minimum number of 10 immature individuals (Berger et al, 2015;Bolter et al, 2018;Bolter et al, 2020). One additional immature individual with cranio-dental and postcranial remains has been recovered from Lesedi Chamber (Hawks et al, 2017).…”

Section: Juvenile Heightmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…naledi collections are rare in that the remains have only been found in one geographic region; they are of Late Middle Pleistocene (recent) age; they represent a homogeneous group; they include at least 19 individuals; the assemblage demographically spans all life stages. Excavations in the Dinaledi Chamber (2013–2014) have so far yielded at least 10 immature specimens from infancy to sub‐adult, and at least six adults; the Chamber remains date to 335,000–226,000 years ago (Berger et al, 2015; Bolter, Elliott, Hawks, & Berger, 2020; Bolter, Hawks, Bogin, & Cameron, 2018; Dirks et al, 2015; Dirks et al, 2017). The Lesedi Chamber individuals, one young juvenile and two adults, are not yet dated, but are morphologically homogeneous with the Dinaledi remains and represent one species (Hawks et al, 2017).…”

Section: Ontogeny: Problems In Studying Maturation Of Extinct Homininsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Utilizing auxology to understand ontogeny of extinct hominins: A case study on Homo naledi

Bolter

Cameron

2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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The methods used to study human growth and development (auxology) have not previously been applied within the setting of hominin maturation (ontogeny). Ontogeny is defined here as the pattern of biological change into an adult form, both at the individual and species level. The hominin fossil record has a lack of recovered immature materials, due to such factors as taphonomic processes that destroy pre‐adults; the fragility of immature compared to adult bone; and the lower mortality rates of juveniles compared to adults. The recent discovery of pre‐adult hominin skeletal material from a single, homogeneous Homo naledi species from the Rising Star cave system in South Africa provides the opportunity for a broader application of auxology methods and thus the need to understand their use in a modern context. Human auxology studies benefit from a robust database, across multiple populations, and with longitudinal studies in order to assess the patterns and variations in typical growth, development and life history stages. Here, we review the approach, vocabulary, and methods of these human studies, investigate commonalities in data with the fossil record, and then advance the reconstruction of ontogeny for the extinct hominin species H. naledi. To this end, we apply an auxology model into the paleontological context to broadly predict H. naledi birthweight of the offspring at 2.06 kg with a range (±1 SD) of 1.89 to 2.24 kg, with a length at birth 45.5 cm. We estimate a H. naledi juvenile partial skeleton DH7 to be a height of 111–125 cm at death.

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Section: Growth Study Design and Implications For The Pattern Of Grmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Size and The Prediction Of Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Juvenile Heightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Juvenile Heightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ontogeny: Problems In Studying Maturation Of Extinct Homininsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Utilizing auxology to understand ontogeny of extinct hominins: A case study on Homo naledi

Bolter

Cameron

2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Reassessment of the TM 1517 odonto‐postcranial assemblage from Kromdraai B, South Africa, and the maturational pattern of Paranthropus robustus

Cazenave

Dean

Zanolli

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives: The Pleistocene taxon Paranthropus robustus was established in 1938 following the discovery at Kromdraai B, South Africa, of the partial cranium TM 1517a and associated mandible TM 1517b. Shortly thereafter, a distal humerus (TM 1517g), a proximal ulna (TM 1517e), and a distal hallucial phalanx (TM 1517k) were collected nearby at the site, and were considered to be associated with the holotype. TM 1517a-b represents an immature individual; however, no analysis of the potentially associated postcranial elements has investigated the presence of any endostructural remnant of recent epiphyseal closure. This study aims at tentatively detecting such traces in the three postcranial specimens from Kromdraai B. Materials and Methods: By using μXCT techniques, we assessed the developmental stage of the TM 1517b's C-M3 roots and investigated the inner structure of TM 1517g, TM 1517e, and TM 1517k.Results: The M2 shows incompletely closed root apices and the M3 a half-completed root formation stage. The distal humerus was likely completely fused, while the

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The immature Homo naledi ilium from the Lesedi Chamber, Rising Star Cave, South Africa

Cofran

VanSickle

Valenzuela

et al. 2022

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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Objectives Homo naledi is represented by abundant remains from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa. While pelvic elements from the Dinaledi Chamber of the cave are fragmentary, a relatively complete ilium (U.W. 102a–138) was recovered from the Lesedi Chamber. We reconstructed and analyzed the Lesedi ilium, providing qualitative descriptions and quantitative assessment of its morphology and developmental state. Materials and Methods We compared the Lesedi ilium to remains from the Dinaledi Chamber, other South African hominin fossils, and an ontogenetic series of human ilia. We used the Dinaledi adults as a guide for reconstructing the Lesedi ilium. To assess development of the Lesedi ilium, we compared immature/mature proportional ilium height for fossils and humans. We used 3D geometric morphometrics (GMs) to examine size and shape variation among this sample. Results The Lesedi ilium showed incipient development of features expressed in adult H. naledi ilia. The proportional height of the Lesedi ilium was within the range of human juveniles between 4–11 years of age. GM analyses showed that the Lesedi ilium had an iliac blade shape similar to those of australopiths and an expanded auricular surface more similar to humans. Conclusions The reconstructed Lesedi specimen represents the best preserved ilium of H. naledi, confirming the australopith‐like iliac blade morphology first hypothesized in adult specimens, and establishing that this anatomy was present early in this species' ontogeny. In contrast to australopiths, the Lesedi ilium displays an enlarged sacroiliac joint, the significance of which requires further investigation.

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Immature remains and the first partial skeleton of a juvenile Homo naledi, a late Middle Pleistocene hominin from South Africa

Cited by 18 publications

References 41 publications

Utilizing auxology to understand ontogeny of extinct hominins: A case study on Homo naledi

Utilizing auxology to understand ontogeny of extinct hominins: A case study on Homo naledi

Reassessment of the TM 1517 odonto‐postcranial assemblage from Kromdraai B, South Africa, and the maturational pattern of Paranthropus robustus

The immature Homo naledi ilium from the Lesedi Chamber, Rising Star Cave, South Africa

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