Some Aspects of the Evolution of Early Hominid Sexual Dimorphism [and Comments and Reply]

Wolpoff, Milford H.; Aguirre, Emiliano; Becker, Marshall Joseph; Hajn, Vaclav; Murad, Turhon A.; Rao, V. V.; Rosiński, Franciszek M.; Siegel, Michael I.; Smith, Fred H.; Trinkaus, Erik; Wood, B. A.; Živanović, Srboljub

doi:10.1086/201798

Cited by 63 publications

(46 citation statements)

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“…For example, negative canine allometry was observed by Wolpoff (1976; for both male and female robust australopithecines. In addition, Wood (1976) reported negative dental allometry for the gorilla.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, however, relatively little attention has been devoted to intraspecific or static adult allometry; moreover, very little data are available that specifically and comprehensively address human dentition (Wood, 1976). The data that are available have already proven to be critically important in taxonomic and evolutionary studies of hominids (Pilbeam and Gould, 1974;Wolpoff, 1978;Wood, 1979a, b;Wood and Stack, 1980). The biological significance of intraspecific scaling is aptly underscored by Gould (1975a), who points out that ".…”

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Allometric analysis of dental variation in a human population

Perzigian

1981

American J Phys Anthropol

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There exists an extensive literature that deals with interspecific allometry, eg, brain size-body size relationships among species. Yet comparatively little attention has been paid to intraspecific or static adult allometry. An intraspecific allometric analysis was conducted on the complete permanent dentition of a prehistoric American Indian population (N = 156). Mesiodistal and buccolingual measurements were logarithmically transformed and regressed on log transformations of femur length, an estimate of body size. When measurements of antimeric teeth were introduced together into common regressions on femur length, 20 of the 32 slopes were significantly different from zero. Thirty-one of the slopes ranged between zero and one and clustered between 0.2 and 0.4. Hence, negative allometry describes the tooth size-body size association, ie, taller individuals in general possess absolutely but not relatively larger teeth than shorter individuals. In addition, no significant sex differences for the regression slopes were observed. Though significantly correlated, tooth size and body size variables are too weakly associated to permit accurate predictions from regression equations. Evolutionary implications of intraspecific dental allometry are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Allometric analysis of dental variation in a human population

Perzigian

1981

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…This has been a particular problem for those interested in human evolution, where the question of "two sexes or two species" has been a focus of controversy (e.g., Zihlman, 1985;Cole and Smith, 1987;Leutenegger and Shell, 1987;Kimbel and White, 1988;Miller, 1991Miller, , 2000Wood, 1993;Kramer et al, 1995;Richmond and Jungers, 1995;Lockwood et al, 1996;Lockwood, 1999). In the second place, the association between sexual dimorphism and male-male competition and mating systems means that it has often served as the only direct evidence for social behavior in the fossil record (e.g., Wolpoff, 1976;Fleagle et al, 1980;Gingerich, 1981Gingerich, , 1995Lovejoy, 1981;Leutenegger and Shell, 1987;Foley and Lee, 1989;Kelley, 1989;Krishtalka et al, 1991;McHenry, 1994a,b;Plavcan and van Schaik, 1997a;Simons et al, 1999;Plavcan, 2000a).…”

Section: Dimorphism In the Primate Fossil Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual dimorphism in primate evolution

Plavcan

2001

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

164

175

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Sexual dimorphism is a pervasive phenomenon among anthropoid primates. Comparative analyses over the past 30 years have greatly expanded our understanding of both variation in the expression of dimorphism among primates, and the underlying causes of sexual dimorphism. Dimorphism in body mass and canine tooth size is familiar, as is pelage and "sex skin" dimorphism. More recent analyses are documenting subtle differences in the pattern of skeletal dimorphism among primates. Comparative analyses have corroborated the sexual selection hypotheses, and have provided a more detailed understanding of the relationship between sexual selection, natural selection, and mating systems in primates. A clearer picture is emerging of the relative contribution of various selective and nonselective mechanisms in the evolution and expression of dimorphism. Most importantly, recent studies have shown that dimorphism is the product of changes in both male and female traits. Developmental studies demonstrate the variety of ontogenetic pathways that can lead to dimorphism, and provide additional insight into the selective mechanisms that influence dimorphism throughout the lifetime of an animal. Evidence from the fossil record suggests that dimorphism probably evolved in parallel twice, and the dimorphism in some extinct hominoids probably exceeded that of any living primate. Our advances in understanding the behavioral/ecological correlates of dimorphism in living primates have not improved our ability to reconstruct social systems in extinct species on the basis of dimorphism alone, beyond the inference of polygyny or intense male-male competition. However, our understanding of the behavioral/ecological correlates of growth and development, and of the expression of dimorphism as a function of separate changes in male and female traits, offers great potential for inferring evolutionary changes in behavior over time

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“…Additionally, dimorphism of the mandible remains a topic of debate (Loth 1996;Loth and Henneberg 2001;Franklin et al 2007;Rosas et al 2002). The Dmanisi remains are not alone in support of the idea of elevated sexual dimorphism within Homo erectus (Kramer 1993;Potts et al 2004;Spoor et al 2007;Wolpoff 1976). An interpretation of sexual dimorphism within the Dmanisi remains requires an acceptance of the conspecific nature of the remains, a situation that, given the results here, potentially lends itself to circularity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2012

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The Lower Pleistocene locality of Dmanisi, Georgia, positioned at an important temporal and geographic junction in human evolution, has produced an abundant hominin fossil sample. The combination of derived and primitive characteristics within these hominins has provoked debate as to the evolutionary significance of Dmanisi for the early evolution of the genus Homo and the earliest dispersals of hominins outside Africa. Included within the Dmanisi hominin sample are four mandibular specimens, including one of the smallest Lower Pleistocene mandibles assigned to Homo, one of the largest assigned to Homo, and the earliest known edentulous hominin mandible. The range of variation displayed by this group of mandibles has been central to arguments regarding the taxonomic assessment of the Dmanisi remains. This paper tests the null hypothesis that variation in the Dmanisi mandibular sample is the result of sampling intraspecific variation, particularly age-related growth and skeletal size dimorphism, by using a quantitative metric approach. Utilizing both individual and nested resampling approaches, variation within the Dmanisi sample is compared to the patterns of variation seen in contemporary Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, and Gorilla gorilla. When individual trait comparisons are made, the results of these analyses suggest that in some metric characters the Dmanisi variation is greater than expected based on intraspecific variation in the comparative taxa. However, when the results for individual characters are considered jointly, the null hypothesis of a single hominin taxon at Dmanisi cannot be rejected. These results, alongside anatomical and geological assessments of the sample, support the hypothesis of a single Dmanisi hominin taxon. These results do raise interesting questions regarding baseline variation, including that associated with sexual dimorphism and development, in the Dmanisi hominins specifically, and early Homo erectus more broadly. INTRODUCTIONT he site of Dmanisi, located in southern Georgia, has yielded a rich assemblage of terminal Pliocene/early Pleistocene fossil hominins 1 . Excavations in 1991 yielded a hominin mandible (Gabunia and Vekua 1995) and excavations continuing to the present have uncovered well preserved cranial and post-cranial materials from multiple individuals derived from a tightly confined stratigraphic context (Ferring et al. 2011;Gabunia et al. 1999;Gabunia et al. 2000;Gabunia et al. 2002;Lordkipanidze et al. 2006;Lordkipanidze et al. 2007;Rightmire et al. 2008;Vekua et al. 2002). The fossil assemblage is placed at an important junction, both geographically and temporally, for understandings of the evolution of early Homo and the emergence of Homo erectus (Wood 2011). Included in the hominin sample from Dmanisi are four mandibles encompassing a large range of anatomical and metric variation. The variation within the mandibles has generated considerable discussion as to the proper interpretation of the Dmanisi hominins and the broader significance of the site fo...

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Some Aspects of the Evolution of Early Hominid Sexual Dimorphism [and Comments and Reply]

Cited by 63 publications

References 25 publications

Allometric analysis of dental variation in a human population

Allometric analysis of dental variation in a human population

Sexual dimorphism in primate evolution

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