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Mori T, Riga A, Aytek AI, Harvati K. Virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometric analysis of the Kocabaş hominin fossil from Turkey: Implications for taxonomy and evolutionary significance. J Hum Evol 2024; 191:103517. [PMID: 38781712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The Kocabaş specimen comes from a travertine quarry near the homonymous village in the Denizli basin (Turkey). The specimen comprises three main fragments: portions of the right and left parietal and left and right parts of the frontal bone. The fossil was assumed to belong to the Homo erectus s.l. hypodigm by some authors, whereas others see similarities with Middle Pleistocene fossils (Broken Hill 1/Kabwe, Bodo, or Ceprano). Here, we present the first attempt to make a complete reconstruction of the missing medial portion of the frontal bone and a comprehensive geometric morphometric analysis of this bone. We restored the calotte by aligning and mirroring the three preserved fragments. Afterward, we restored the missing portion by applying the thin-plate spline interpolation algorithm of target fossils onto the reconstructed Kocabaş specimen. For the geometric morphometric analyses, we collected 80 landmarks on the frontal bone (11 osteometric points, 14 bilateral curve semilandmarks, and 41 surface semilandmarks). The comparative sample includes 21 fossils from different chronological periods and geographical areas and 30 adult modern humans from different populations. Shape analyses highlighted the presence in Kocabaş of features usually related to Middle Pleistocene Homo, such as a developed supraorbital torus associated with a relatively short frontal squama and reduced post-toral sulcus. Cluster analysis and linear discriminant analysis classification procedure suggest Kocabaş being part of the same taxonomic unit of Eurasian and African Middle Pleistocene Homo. In light of our results, we consider that attributing the Kocabaş hominin to H. erectus s.l. may be unwarranted. Results of our analyses are compatible with different evolutionary scenarios, but a more precise chronological framework is needed for a thorough discussion of the evolutionary significance of this specimen. Future work should clarify its geological age, given uncertainties regarding its stratigraphic provenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Mori
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany; Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via del Proconsolo 12, 50122, Florence, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Riga
- Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via del Proconsolo 12, 50122, Florence, Italy
| | - Ahmet Ihsan Aytek
- Department of Anthropology, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Arts and Science, TR-15030, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Katerina Harvati
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany; DFG Centre for Advanced Studies "Words, Bones, Genes, Tools", Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany
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Hautavoine H, Arnaud J, Balzeau A, Mounier A. Quantifying hominin morphological diversity at the end of the middle Pleistocene: Implications for the origin of Homo sapiens. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24915. [PMID: 38444398 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Middle Pleistocene (MP) saw the emergence of new species of hominins: Homo sapiens in Africa, H. neanderthalensis, and possibly Denisovans in Eurasia, whose most recent common ancestor is thought to have lived in Africa around 600 ka ago. However, hominin remains from this period present a wide range of morphological variation making it difficult to securely determine their taxonomic attribution and their phylogenetic position within the Homo genus. This study proposes to reconsider the phenetic relationships between MP hominin fossils in order to clarify evolutionary trends and contacts between the populations they represent. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a Geometric Morphometrics approach to quantify the morphological variation of the calvarium of controversial MP specimens from Africa and Eurasia by using a comparative sample that can be divided into 5 groups: H. ergaster, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis, and H. sapiens, as well as individuals from current modern human populations. We performed a Generalized Procrustes Analysis, a Principal Component Analysis, and Multinomial Principal Component Logistic Regressions to determine the phenetic affinities of the controversial Middle Pleistocene specimens with the other groups. RESULTS MP African and Eurasian specimens represent several populations, some of which show strong affinities with H. neanderthalensis in Europe or H. sapiens in Africa, others presenting multiple affinities. DISCUSSION These MP populations might have contributed to the emergence of these two species in different proportions. This study proposes a new framework for the human evolutionary history during the MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Hautavoine
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
| | - Julie Arnaud
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Département de Zoologie Africaine, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Aurélien Mounier
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Turkana Basin Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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3
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Martin JM, Leece AB, Baker SE, Herries AIR, Strait DS. A lineage perspective on hominin taxonomy and evolution. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22018. [PMID: 38217397 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
An uncritical reliance on the phylogenetic species concept has led paleoanthropologists to become increasingly typological in their delimitation of new species in the hominin fossil record. As a practical matter, this approach identifies species as diagnosably distinct groups of fossils that share a unique suite of morphological characters but, ontologically, a species is a metapopulation lineage segment that extends from initial divergence to eventual extinction or subsequent speciation. Working from first principles of species concept theory, it is clear that a reliance on morphological diagnosabilty will systematically overestimate species diversity in the fossil record; because morphology can evolve within a lineage segment, it follows that early and late populations of the same species can be diagnosably distinct from each other. We suggest that a combination of morphology and chronology provides a more robust test of the single-species null hypothesis than morphology alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M Martin
- Palaeoanthropology Lab, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - A B Leece
- Palaeoanthropology Lab, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group, Southern Cross Geoscience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephanie E Baker
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Andy I R Herries
- Palaeoanthropology Lab, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - David S Strait
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- DFG Center for Advanced Studies "Words, Bones, Genes, Tools", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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4
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Zhang Y, Urciuoli A, Zanolli C, Kullmer O, Wu X. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the bony labyrinth of Xujiayao 6. J Hum Evol 2024; 189:103514. [PMID: 38547737 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Alessandro Urciuoli
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP-CERCA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Division of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Universidad de Alcalá, Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-UAH), Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Clément Zanolli
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600, Pessac, France
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Division of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Xiujie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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5
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Bae CJ, Aiello LC, Hawks J, Kaifu Y, Lindal J, Martinón-Torres M, Ni X, Posth C, Radović P, Reed D, Schroeder L, Schwartz JH, Silcox MT, Welker F, Wu XJ, Zanolli C, Roksandic M. Moving away from "the Muddle in the Middle" toward solving the Chibanian puzzle. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22011. [PMID: 37943093 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Bae
- Department of Anthropology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai, USA
| | - Leslie C Aiello
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
- The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Inc., New York, New York, USA
| | - John Hawks
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yousuke Kaifu
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Joshua Lindal
- Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - María Martinón-Torres
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
- CENIEH (National Research Center on Human Evolution), Burgos, Spain
| | - Xijun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cosimo Posth
- Archaeo- and Palaeogenetics, Department of Geosciences and the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Predrag Radović
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- National Museum Kraljevo, Kraljevo, Serbia
| | - Denne Reed
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lauren Schroeder
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- The Human Evolution Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Jeffrey H Schwartz
- Departments of Anthropology and History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mary T Silcox
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frido Welker
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xiu-Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Clément Zanolli
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Mirjana Roksandic
- Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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6
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Foister TIF, Žliobaitė I, Wilson OE, Fortelius M, Tallavaara M. Homo heterogenus: Variability in early Pleistocene Homo environments. Evol Anthropol 2023; 32:373-385. [PMID: 37877200 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
To understand the ecological dominance of Homo sapiens, we need to investigate the origins of the plasticity that has enabled our colonization of the planet. We can approach this by exploring the variability of habitats to which different hominin populations have adapted over time. In this article, we draw upon and synthesize the current research on habitats of genus Homo during the early Pleistocene. We examined 121 published environmental reconstructions from 74 early Pleistocene sites or site phases to assess the balance of arguments in the research community. We found that, while grasslands and savannahs were prominent features of Homo habitats in the early Pleistocene, current research does not place early Pleistocene Homo, in any single environmental type, but in a wide variety of environments, ranging from open grasslands to forests. Our analysis also suggests that the first known dispersal of Homo out of Africa was accompanied by niche expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tegan I F Foister
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Indrė Žliobaitė
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, LUOMUS, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Oscar E Wilson
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikael Fortelius
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, LUOMUS, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miikka Tallavaara
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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7
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Zhang Y, Li Z. Investigating the internal structure of the suprainiac fossa in Xuchang 2. J Hum Evol 2023; 184:103440. [PMID: 37783199 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Zhanyang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, 450000, China.
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8
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Archer W, Presnyakova D, Aldeias V, Colarossi D, Hutten L, Lauer T, Porraz G, Rossouw L, Shaw M. Late Acheulean occupations at Montagu Cave and the pattern of Middle Pleistocene behavioral change in Western Cape, southern Africa. J Hum Evol 2023; 184:103435. [PMID: 37774470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of so-called modern human behavior are increasingly well documented in an abundance of Middle Stone Age archaeological sites across southern Africa. Contextualized archives directly preceding the southern African Middle Stone Age, however, remain scarce. Current understanding of the terminal Acheulean in southern Africa derives from a small number of localities that are predominantly in the central and northern interior. Many of these localities are surface and deflated contexts, others were excavated prior to the availability of modern field documentation techniques, and yet other relevant assemblages contain low numbers of characteristic artifacts relative to volume of excavated deposit. The site of Montagu Cave, situated in the diverse ecosystem of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, contains the rare combination of archaeologically rich, laminated and deeply stratified Acheulean layers followed by a younger Middle Stone Age occupation. Yet little is known about the site owing largely to a lack of contextual information associated with the early excavations. Here we present renewed excavation of Levels 21-22 at Montagu Cave, located in the basal Acheulean sequence, including new data on site formation and ecological context, geochronology, and technological variability. We document intensive occupation of the cave by Acheulean tool-producing hominins, likely at the onset of interglacial conditions in MIS 7. New excavations at Montagu Cave suggest that, while Middle Stone Age technologies were practiced by 300 ka in several other regions of Africa, the classic Acheulean persisted later in the Fynbos Biome of the southwestern Cape. We discuss the implications of this regionalized persistence for the biogeography of African later Middle Pleistocene hominin populations, for the ecological drivers of their technological systems, and for the pattern and pace of behavioral change just prior to the proliferation of the southern African later Middle Stone Age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will Archer
- Max Planck Partner Group, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Department of Geology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
| | - Darya Presnyakova
- Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, UMR 7269, Laboratoire Méditerranéen de Préhistoire Europe Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix-en Provence, France
| | - Vera Aldeias
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Debra Colarossi
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Louisa Hutten
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tobias Lauer
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guillaume Porraz
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, UMR 7269, Laboratoire Méditerranéen de Préhistoire Europe Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix-en Provence, France
| | - Lloyd Rossouw
- Florisbad Quaternary Research Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Matthew Shaw
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric, and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia
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9
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Zhang Y, Li Z. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric study of the Xuchang 2 cranium. J Hum Evol 2023; 178:103347. [PMID: 36966596 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Results of traditional metric and nonmetric assessments suggest that the Xuchang hominin shares features with Neanderthals. To comprehensively compare the nuchal morphology of XC 2 to those of the genus Homo, we conduct a three-dimensional geometric morphometric study with 35 cranial landmarks and surface semilandmarks of XC 2, Homo erectus, Middle Pleistocene humans, Neanderthals, and early and recent modern humans. Results reveal that the centroid size of XC 2 is larger than that of early and recent modern humans and can only be compared to that of Middle Pleistocene humans and H. erectus. Early and recent modern humans share a nuchal morphology distinct from archaic hominins (Ngandong H. erectus, Middle Pleistocene humans, and Neanderthals), except for SM 3, Sangiran 17, and Asian and African H. erectus. Although Ngandong specimens differ from the other H. erectus, it is unclear whether this represents a temporal or spatial trend in the process of evolution of this species. The nuchal morphological resemblance between Middle Pleistocene humans and Neanderthals may be attributed to similar cranial architecture and cerebellar shape. The great nuchal morphological variation shared by recent modern humans may indicate a particular developmental pattern. In conclusion, the nuchal morphology of different human groups is highly variable and may be caused by different factors including brain globularization and developmental plasticity. XC 2 shares similar nuchal morphology with Middle Pleistocene humans and Neanderthals, but these results are insufficient to fully resolve the taxonomic status of XC 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Zhanyang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, 450000, China.
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10
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Reed DN, Raney E, Johnson J, Jackson H, Virabalin N, Mbonu N. Hominin nomenclature and the importance of information systems for managing complexity in paleoanthropology. J Hum Evol 2023; 175:103308. [PMID: 36649665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Denné N Reed
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Emily Raney
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Jyhreh Johnson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Harper Jackson
- University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Nida Virabalin
- University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Nina Mbonu
- University of Texas at Austin, 2100 Speedway, Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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11
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Ceríaco LMP, Aescht E, Ahyong ST, Ballerio A, Bouchard P, Bourgoin T, Dmitriev D, Evenhuis N, Grygier MJ, Harvey MS, Kottelat M, Kluge N, Krell FT, Kojima JI, Kullander SO, Lucinda P, Lyal CHC, Pyle RL, Rheindt FE, Luisa Scioscia C, Welter-Schultes F, Whitmore D, Yanega D, Zhang ZQ, Zhou HZ, Pape T. Renaming taxa on ethical grounds threatens nomenclatural stability and scientific communication. Zool J Linn Soc 2023. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis M P Ceríaco
- Natural History and Science Museum, University of Porto, Porto , 4099-002 , Portugal
| | - Erna Aescht
- Biology Centre of the Upper Austrian Museum , J.-W.-Klein-Str. 73, 4040 Linz , Austria
| | - Shane T Ahyong
- Australian Museum, Sydney , NSW 2010 , Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales , Kensington, NSW 2052 , Australia
| | | | - Patrice Bouchard
- Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa , Ontario, K1A 0C6 , Canada
| | - Thierry Bourgoin
- Institut Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université-EPHE-Université des Antilles, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle , Paris 75005 , France
| | - Dmitry Dmitriev
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign , IL 61820 , USA
| | - Neal Evenhuis
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu , HI 96817-2704 , USA
| | - Mark J Grygier
- National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium , Checheng, Pingtung 944401 , Taiwan
| | - Mark S Harvey
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum , Welshpool DC, WA 6986 , Australia
| | | | - Nikita Kluge
- Department of Entomology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg , 199034 , Russia
| | - Frank-T Krell
- Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver , CO 80205-5798 , USA
| | - Jun-Ichi Kojima
- Natural History Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito , Ibaraki 310-8512 , Japan
| | - Sven O Kullander
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History , PO Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Paulo Lucinda
- Laboratório de Ictiologia Sistemática, Universidade Federal do Tocantins , Tocantins, 77.500-000 , Brazil
| | | | - Richard L Pyle
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu , HI 96817-2704 , USA
| | - Frank E Rheindt
- National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences , 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558 , Singapore
| | - Cristina Luisa Scioscia
- Arachnology Division , Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’, Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Francisco Welter-Schultes
- Abteilung Evolution und Biodiversität der Tiere und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Göttingen , Germany
| | - Daniel Whitmore
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart , D-70191 Stuttgart , Germany
| | - Douglas Yanega
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside , Riverside, CA 92521-0314 , USA
| | - Zhi-Qiang Zhang
- Landcare Research , Auckland 1072 , New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland 1072 , New Zealand
| | - Hong-Zhang Zhou
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 , People’s Republic of China
| | - Thomas Pape
- Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen , DK-2100 , Denmark
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Harvati K, Reyes-Centeno H. Evolution of Homo in the Middle and Late Pleistocene. J Hum Evol 2022; 173:103279. [PMID: 36375244 PMCID: PMC9703123 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The Middle and Late Pleistocene is arguably the most interesting period in human evolution. This broad period witnessed the evolution of our own lineage, as well as that of our sister taxon, the Neanderthals, and related Denisovans. It is exceptionally rich in both fossil and archaeological remains, and uniquely benefits from insights gained through molecular approaches, such as paleogenetics and paleoproteomics, that are currently not widely applicable in earlier contexts. This wealth of information paints a highly complex picture, often described as 'the Muddle in the Middle,' defying the common adage that 'more evidence is needed' to resolve it. Here we review competing phylogenetic scenarios and the historical and theoretical developments that shaped our approaches to the fossil record, as well as some of the many remaining open questions associated with this period. We propose that advancing our understanding of this critical time requires more than the addition of data and will necessitate a major shift in our conceptual and theoretical framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Harvati
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, Tübingen 72070, Germany; DFG Centre for Advanced Studies 'Words, Bones, Genes, Tools: Tracking Linguistic, Cultural and Biological Trajectories of the Human Past', Rümelinstrasse 19-23, Tübingen 72070, Germany.
| | - Hugo Reyes-Centeno
- Department of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, 211 Lafferty Hall, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, 1020 Export St, Lexington, KY 40504, USA
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Roksandic M, Radović P, Wu XJ, Bae CJ. Homo bodoensis and why it matters. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:240-244. [PMID: 35924751 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In our original paper, we proposed a new species, Homo bodoensis, to replace the problematical taxa Homo heidelbergensis and Homo rhodesiensis, with the goal of streamlining communication about human evolution in the Chibanian. We received two independent responses. Given their substantial overlap, we provide one combined reply. In this response: (1) we are encouraged that the primary proposal in our paper, to discontinue the use of H. heidelbergensis (as a junior synonym to Homo neanderthalensis) due to its' nomenclatural problems, is acknowledged. (2) we provide additional clarification about the rules governing taxonomic nomenclature as outlined by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and join the growing calls for a revision to these rules. (3) we discuss further why H. rhodesiensis should be abandoned, particularly in light of the current sensitivity to using culturally inappropriate names. We conclude that H. bodoensis is a better solution than the proposed alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Roksandic
- Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,DFG, Words Bones Genes Tools, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Predrag Radović
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.,National Museum Kraljevo, Kraljevo, Serbia
| | - Xiu-Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Christopher J Bae
- Department of Anthropology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Meneganzin A, Pievani T, Manzi G. Pan-Africanism vs. single-origin of Homo sapiens: Putting the debate in the light of evolutionary biology. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:199-212. [PMID: 35848454 PMCID: PMC9540121 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The scenario of Homo sapiens origin/s within Africa has become increasingly complex, with a pan-African perspective currently challenging the long-established single-origin hypothesis. In this paper, we review the lines of evidence employed in support of each model, highlighting inferential limitations and possible terminological misunderstandings. We argue that the metapopulation scenario envisaged by pan-African proponents well describes a mosaic diversification among late Middle Pleistocene groups. However, this does not rule out a major contribution that emerged from a single population where crucial derived features-notably, a globular braincase-appeared as the result of a punctuated, cladogenetic event. Thus, we suggest that a synthesis is possible and propose a scenario that, in our view, better reconciles with consolidated expectations in evolutionary theory. These indicate cladogenesis in allopatry as an ordinary pattern for the origin of a new species, particularly during phases of marked climatic and environmental instability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental BiologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
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15
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Sarmiento EE, Pickford M. Muddying the muddle in the middle even more. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:237-239. [PMID: 35758530 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In an Evolutionary Anthropology article Roksandic et al. (2022) propose a new middle Pleistocene hominin species H. bodoensis to replace a "poorly defined" Homo heidelbergenis. Homo bodoensis extends from the African Middle Pleistocene through the Levant to South-eastern Europe with all currently classified H. heidelbergensis fossils from western Europe subsumed into Homo neandertalensis. The authors claim their new species will be more clearly defined than H. heidelbergensis and will better describe hominin variation and evolution in the middle Pleistocene. Roksandic et al. are unable to account for some European fossils (i.e., Petralona and Arago) and provide no evidence as to how their new species meets their objectives. Fatally, they overlook the priority rule and fail to realize that H. bodoensis is both a junior synonym of Homo rhodesiensis and Homo saldanensis. Roksandic et al. conflate taxonomy with phylogeny, present hypotheses as facts, and harbor many systematic and evolutionary misconceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Pickford
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie-Paris (CR2P) UMR 7207-CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université Département Origines et Évolution, Paris, France
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Delson E, Stringer C. The naming of Homo bodoensis by Roksandic and colleagues does not resolve issues surrounding Middle Pleistocene human evolution. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:233-236. [PMID: 35758557 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Roksandic et al. (2022) proposed the new species name Homo bodoensis as a replacement name for Homo rhodesiensis Woodward, 1921, because they felt it was poorly and variably defined and was linked to sociopolitical baggage. However, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature includes regulations on how and when such name changes are allowed, and Roksandic et al.'s arguments meet none of these requirements. It is not permitted to change a name solely because of variable (or erroneous) later use once it has been originally defined correctly, nor can a name be modified because it is offensive to one or more authors or to be politically expedient. We discuss past usage of H. rhodesiensis and the relevant nomenclatural procedures, the proposed evolutionary position of H. bodoensis, and issues raised about decolonizing paleoanthropology. We reject H. bodoensis as a junior synonym, with no value from its inception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Delson
- Department of Anthropology, Lehman College, City University of New York (CUNY), Bronx, New York, USA.,PhD Programs in Anthropology & Earth and Environmental Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, New York, USA.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Chris Stringer
- Centre for Human Evolution Research (CHER), Natural History Museum, London, UK
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A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2557. [PMID: 35581187 PMCID: PMC9114389 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29923-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Pleistocene presence of the genus Homo in continental Southeast Asia is primarily evidenced by a sparse stone tool record and rare human remains. Here we report a Middle Pleistocene hominin specimen from Laos, with the discovery of a molar from the Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave) limestone cave in the Annamite Mountains. The age of the fossil-bearing breccia ranges between 164–131 kyr, based on the Bayesian modelling of luminescence dating of the sedimentary matrix from which it was recovered, U-series dating of an overlying flowstone, and U-series–ESR dating of associated faunal teeth. Analyses of the internal structure of the molar in tandem with palaeoproteomic analyses of the enamel indicate that the tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual. The close morphological affinities with the Xiahe specimen from China indicate that they belong to the same taxon and that Tam Ngu Hao 2 most likely represents a Denisovan. Evidence for the presence of Homo during the Middle Pleistocene is limited in continental Southeast Asia. Here, the authors report a hominin molar from Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave), dated to 164–131 kyr. They use morphological and paleoproteomic analysis to show that it likely belonged to a female Denisovan.
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Roksandic M, Radović P, Lindal J, Mihailović D. Early Neanderthals in contact: The Chibanian (Middle Pleistocene) hominin dentition from Velika Balanica Cave, Southern Serbia. J Hum Evol 2022; 166:103175. [PMID: 35339947 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neanderthals are Eurasian fossil hominins whose distinctive morphology developed in the southwestern corner of Europe and later spread throughout the continent, reaching Southwest Asia before the Late Pleistocene and spreading into Central Asia by 59-49 ka. The timing, tempo, and route of the Neanderthal movements eastward are poorly documented. The earliest probable evidence of Neanderthals in Asia comes from Karain E Cave (Anatolia, Turkey), dated to 250-200 ka. We present four Chibanian (Middle Pleistocene) hominin specimens, representing at least two individuals, from Velika Balanica Cave (Serbia): a permanent upper third molar (BH-2), a deciduous upper fourth premolar (BH-3) refitted to a poorly preserved maxillary fragment with the permanent first molar in the alveolus (BH-4), and a permanent upper central incisor (BH-5). We provide descriptions of the teeth, as well as a comparative analysis of the well-preserved M1 (BH-4), including assessments of cusp angles, relative occlusal polygon area, relative cusp base areas, two- and three-dimensional enamel thickness, and taurodontism. Morphology of both the occlusal surface and the enamel dentine junction of the M1 indicates that the maxillary fragment and associated dP4 belonged to an early Neanderthal child. The heavily worn I1 and M3 are consistent with the Neanderthal morphology, although they are less distinct taxonomically. These Chibanian remains with provenance from layer 3a are constrained by two thermoluminescence dates: 285 ± 34 ka and 295 ± 74 ka. They represent the earliest current evidence of Neanderthal spread into the Eastern Mediterranean Area. We discuss these findings in light of recent direct evidence for cultural connections between Southwestern Asia and Southeast Europe in the Chibanian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Roksandic
- Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada; Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba, 432 Fletcher Argue Building, 15 Chancellor Circle, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada; Fellow, DFG Center for Advanced Studies 'Words, Bones, Genes, Tools', University of Tübingen, 23 Rümelinstrasse, Room 603a, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Predrag Radović
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, 18-20 Čika Ljubina Belgrade, 11000, Serbia; National Museum Kraljevo, 2 Trg Svetog Save, Kraljevo, 36000, Serbia
| | - Joshua Lindal
- Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba, 432 Fletcher Argue Building, 15 Chancellor Circle, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Dušan Mihailović
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, 18-20 Čika Ljubina Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
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Evolution of cranial capacity revisited: A view from the late Middle Pleistocene cranium from Xujiayao, China. J Hum Evol 2022; 163:103119. [PMID: 35026677 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils from the Xujiayao site in northern China have been closely studied in light of their morphological variability. However, all previous studies have focused on separated cranial fragments. Here, we report the first reconstruction of a fairly complete posterior cranium, Xujiayao 6 (XJY 6), confidently dated to ∼200-160 ka, which facilitated an assessment of its overall cranial size. XJY 6 was reconstructed from three of the original fragments-the PA1486 (No.7/XJY 6a) occipital bone, PA1490 (No.10/XJY 6b) right parietal bone, and PA1498 (No.17/XJY 15) left temporal bone-which originated from the same young adult individual. The XJY 6 endocranial capacity, estimated by measuring endocranial volume, was estimated using multiple regression formulae derived from ectocranial and endocranial measurements on select samples of Pleistocene hominins and recent modern humans. The results indicate that the larger pooled sample of both Pleistocene and recent modern humans was more robust for the endocranial capacity estimate. Based on the pooled sample using the ectocranial and endocranial measurements, we conservatively estimate the XJY 6 endocranial volume to be ∼1700 cm3 with a 95% confidence interval of 1555-1781 cm3. This is close to Xuchang 1, which dates to 125-105 ka and whose endocranial volume is ∼1800 cm3. Thus, XJY 6 provides the earliest evidence of a brain size that falls in the upper range of Neanderthals and modern Homo sapiens. XJY 6, together with Xuchang 1, Homo floresiensis, Homo luzonensis, and Homo naledi, challenge the general pattern that brain size gradually increases over geological time. This study also finds that hominin brain size expansion occurred at different rates across time and space.
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