Structure and composition of the Trinil femora: Functional and taxonomic implications

Ruff, Christopher B.; Puymérail, Laurent; Macchiarelli, Roberto; Sipla, Justin S.; Ciochon, Russell L.

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.12.004

Cited by 47 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…See Fig 2 for positioning of sections. Based on the most realistic reconstruction of the femoral condyles, the femur was oriented with a femoral neck anteversion angle of 22°, which is fairly high compared to some early Homo specimens [63], but similar to that estimated for the next most complete Au . afarensis femur, AL 827–1 (about 24°, CV Ward, pers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy")

et al. 2016

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While there is broad agreement that early hominins practiced some form of terrestrial bipedality, there is also evidence that arboreal behavior remained a part of the locomotor repertoire in some taxa, and that bipedal locomotion may not have been identical to that of modern humans. It has been difficult to evaluate such evidence, however, because of the possibility that early hominins retained primitive traits (such as relatively long upper limbs) of little contemporaneous adaptive significance. Here we examine bone structural properties of the femur and humerus in the Australopithecus afarensis A.L. 288–1 ("Lucy", 3.2 Myr) that are known to be developmentally plastic, and compare them with other early hominins, modern humans, and modern chimpanzees. Cross-sectional images were obtained from micro-CT scans of the original specimens and used to derive section properties of the diaphyses, as well as superior and inferior cortical thicknesses of the femoral neck. A.L. 288–1 shows femoral/humeral diaphyseal strength proportions that are intermediate between those of modern humans and chimpanzees, indicating more mechanical loading of the forelimb than in modern humans, and by implication, a significant arboreal locomotor component. Several features of the proximal femur in A.L. 288–1 and other australopiths, including relative femoral head size, distribution of cortical bone in the femoral neck, and cross-sectional shape of the proximal shaft, support the inference of a bipedal gait pattern that differed slightly from that of modern humans, involving more lateral deviation of the body center of mass over the support limb, which would have entailed increased cost of terrestrial locomotion. There is also evidence consistent with increased muscular strength among australopiths in both the forelimb and hind limb, possibly reflecting metabolic trade-offs between muscle and brain development during hominin evolution. Together these findings imply significant differences in both locomotor behavior and ecology between australopiths and later Homo.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy")

et al. 2016

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“…39,40 Recently, all five Trinil femora have been morphologically compared and their structural and density characteristics evaluated by computed tomography. 41 Femur I is anatomically more modern and less fossilized than Femora II-V. Femur I is apparently younger than the calotte, while Femora II-V may be more closely related in time to the Homo erectus calotte. 41 Trinil has seen little field investigation since 1891.…”

Section: Trinil Javamentioning

confidence: 95%

“…41 Femur I is anatomically more modern and less fossilized than Femora II-V. Femur I is apparently younger than the calotte, while Femora II-V may be more closely related in time to the Homo erectus calotte. 41 Trinil has seen little field investigation since 1891. The stratigraphy remains unimproved and contention persists about the age of Hauptknochenschicht.…”

Section: Trinil Javamentioning

confidence: 95%

Retracted: Early hominin biogeography in Island Southeast Asia

Larick¹,

Ciochon²

2015

Evolutionary Anthropology

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Island Southeast Asia covers Eurasia's tropical expanse of continental shelf and active subduction zones. Cutting between island landmasses, Wallace's Line separates Sunda and the Eastern Island Arc (the Arc) into distinct tectonic and faunal provinces. West of the line, on Sunda, Java Island yields many fossils of Homo erectus. East of the line, on the Arc, Flores Island provides one skeleton and isolated remains of Homo floresiensis. Luzon Island in the Philippines has another fossil hominin. Sulawesi preserves early hominin archeology. This insular divergence sets up a unique regional context for early hominin dispersal, isolation, and extinction. The evidence is reviewed across three Pleistocene climate periods. Patterns are discussed in relation to the pulse of global sea-level shifts, as well as regional geo-tectonics, catastrophes, stegodon dispersal, and paleogenomics. Several patterns imply evolutionary processes typical of oceanic islands. Early hominins apparently responded to changing island conditions for a million-and-a-half years, likely becoming extinct during the period in which Homo sapiens colonized the region.

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“…Because CT scanning techniques became more accessible, measuring diaphyseal bone became a virtual operation. Therefore, some researchers started developing methods to map the cortical thickness and automatize the measurement of areas on dozens of cross sections of entire diaphyses (Doube et al, ; Puymerail et al, , b; Ruff, Puymerail, Macchiarelli, Sipla, & Ciochon, ; Zanolli, Bayle, & Macchiarelli, ). The maps have been first used to identify the functional signature of postural and locomotor patterns that impact the diaphyseal shape of lower limb long bones (Puymerail, Ruff, et al, ; Puymerail, Volpato, et al, ; Ruff et al, ; Zanolli et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diaphysator: An online application for the exhaustive cartography and user‐friendly statistical analysis of long bone diaphyses

Santos

Jeanson

2019

American J Phys Anthropol

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The cross-sectional geometry (CSG) of long bone diaphyses is used in bioanthropology to evaluate their resistance to biomechanical constraints and to infer life-historyrelated patterns such as mobility, activity specialization or intensity, sexual dimorphism, body mass and proportions. First limited by technical analytical constraints to the analysis of one or two cross sections per bone, it has evolved into the analysis of cross sections of the full length of the diaphyseal part of long bones. More recently, researchers have developed analytical tools to map the cortical thickness of entire diaphyses to evaluate locomotor signatures. However, none of these analytical tools are easy to use for scientists who are not familiar with computer programming, and some statistical procedures-such as mapping the correlation coefficients of the diaphyseal thickness with various parameters have yet to be made available. Therefore, we developed an automated and open-source application that renders those analyses (both CSG and cortical thickness) in a semiautomated and user friendly manner. This application, called "Diaphysator", is associated with another free software ("Extractor", presented in Dupej et al. (2017). American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 164, 868-876). Diaphysator can be used as an online application (https://diaphysator.shinyapps.io/maps) or as a package for R statistical software. Along with the mean maps of cortical thickness and mean CSG parameter graphs, the users can evaluate the correlations and partial correlations of both CSG parameters at every cross section along the diaphyseal length, and cortical thickness data points of the entire diaphysis, with any factor such as age, sex, stature, and body mass.

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Structure and composition of the Trinil femora: Functional and taxonomic implications

Cited by 47 publications

References 38 publications

Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy")

Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy")

Retracted: Early hominin biogeography in Island Southeast Asia

Diaphysator: An online application for the exhaustive cartography and user‐friendly statistical analysis of long bone diaphyses

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