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Conde-Valverde M, Martínez I, Quam R, Arsuaga JL. The ear of the Sima de los Huesos hominins (Atapuerca, Spain). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:2410-2424. [PMID: 36825485 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25181] [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: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies on the morphology of the inner ear (semicircular canals and cochlea) in the Sima de los Huesos hominin sample have provided important results on the evolution of these structures in the Neandertal lineage. Similarly, studies of the anatomy of the external and middle ear cavities of the Sima de los Huesos hominins have also provided important data on the auditory capacities of this European Middle Pleistocene population. The present contribution provides unpublished data on three new middle ear variables from the Sima de los Huesos fossils and compares these data with values from samples of Pan troglodytes, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. The results of this analysis are combined with those obtained in previous studies to characterize the anatomy of the outer, middle and inner ear in the Sima de los Huesos fossils, as well as to establish the order of appearance of the features that characterize Neandertal ears. As in other cranial structures, the ear region in the Sima de los Huesos show a mosaic evolutionary pattern that includes primitive traits, others shared exclusively with Neandertals, and others that are specific to the Sima de los Huesos hominins. Neandertals and Sima de los Huesos hominins share two exclusive features of the middle ear that are among the first characteristics of the Neandertal lineage: a long tympanic cavity and a large entrance and exit of the mastoid antrum. Along with these traits, the Sima de los Huesos hominins present two specialized features: large volumes of the tympanic cavity and the mastoid antrum. Finally, the middle ear of the Neandertals is characterized by the presence of small angles between the tympanic axis and the plane of the oval window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Conde-Valverde
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), New York, USA
- Centro de Investigación Francisco Javier Muñiz, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ignacio Martínez
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Francisco Javier Muñiz, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rolf Quam
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), New York, USA
- Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, Spain
- Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA
| | - Juan Luis Arsuaga
- Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Stoessel A, David R, Bornitz M, Ossmann S, Neudert M. Auditory thresholds compatible with optimal speech reception likely evolved before the human-chimpanzee split. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20732. [PMID: 38007561 PMCID: PMC10676368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47778-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The anatomy of the auditory region of fossil hominins may shed light on the emergence of human spoken language. Humans differ from other great apes in several features of the external, middle and inner ear (e.g., short external ear canal, small tympanic membrane, large oval window). However, the functional implications of these differences remain poorly understood as comparative audiometric data from great apes are scarce and conflicting. Here, we measure the sound transfer function of the external and middle ears of humans, chimpanzees and bonobos, using laser-Doppler vibrometry and finite element analysis. This sound transfer function affects auditory thresholds, which relate to speech reception thresholds in humans. Unexpectedly we find that external and middle ears of chimpanzees and bonobos transfer sound better than human ones in the frequency range of spoken language. Our results suggest that auditory thresholds of the last common ancestor of Homo and Pan were already compatible with speech reception as observed in humans. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the morphological evolution observed in the bony auditory region of fossil hominins was driven by the emergence of spoken language. Instead, the peculiar human configuration may be a by-product of morpho-functional constraints linked to brain expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Stoessel
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Erbertstr. 1, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Romain David
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Matthias Bornitz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Steffen Ossmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marcus Neudert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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Dickinson E, Tomblin E, Rose M, Tate Z, Gottimukkula M, Granatosky MC, Santana SE, Hartstone-Rose A. Ecomorphological correlates of inner and middle ear anatomy within phyllostomid bats. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2751-2764. [PMID: 36823766 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25178] [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: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Echolocation is the primary sense used by most bats to navigate their environment. However, the influence of echolocating behaviors upon the morphology of the auditory apparatus remains largely uninvestigated. While it is known that middle ear ossicle size scales positively with body mass across mammals, and that peak call frequency scales negatively with body mass among bats, there are still large gaps in our understanding of the degree to which allometry or ecology influences the morphology of the chiropteran auditory apparatus. To investigate this, we used μCT datasets to quantify three morphological components of the inner and middle ear: ossicle size, ossicle shape, and cochlear spirality. These data were collected across 27 phyllostomid species, spanning a broad range of body sizes, habitats, and dietary categories, and the relationships between these variables and ear morphology were assessed using a comparative phylogenetic approach. Ossicle size consistently scaled with strong negative allometry relative to body mass. Cochlear spirality was significantly (p = .025) associated with wing aspect ratio (a proxy for habitat use) but was not associated with body mass. From a morphological perspective, the malleus and incus exhibited some variation in kind with diet and call frequency, while stapes morphology is more closely tied to body size. Future work will assess these relationships within other chiropteran lineages, and investigate potential morphological differences in the middle and inner ear of echolocating-vs-non-echolocating taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Dickinson
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Emily Tomblin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Madison Rose
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zoe Tate
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mihika Gottimukkula
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Sharlene E Santana
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Adam Hartstone-Rose
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Amiez C, Verstraete C, Sallet J, Hadj-Bouziane F, Ben Hamed S, Meguerditchian A, Procyk E, Wilson CRE, Petrides M, Sherwood CC, Hopkins WD. The relevance of the unique anatomy of the human prefrontal operculum to the emergence of speech. Commun Biol 2023; 6:693. [PMID: 37407769 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05066-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying the evolutionary origins of human speech remains a topic of intense scientific interest. Here we describe a unique feature of adult human neuroanatomy compared to chimpanzees and other primates that may provide an explanation of changes that occurred to enable the capacity for speech. That feature is the Prefrontal extent of the Frontal Operculum (PFOp) region, which is located in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, adjacent and ventromedial to the classical Broca's area. We also show that, in chimpanzees, individuals with the most human-like PFOp, particularly in the left hemisphere, have greater oro-facial and vocal motor control abilities. This critical discovery, when combined with recent paleontological evidence, suggests that the PFOp is a recently evolved feature of human cortical structure (perhaps limited to the genus Homo) that emerged in response to increasing selection for cognitive and motor functions evident in modern speech abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Amiez
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, Bron, France.
| | - Charles Verstraete
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, Bron, France
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Sallet
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, Bron, France
- Wellcome Integrative Neuroimaging Centre, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Fadila Hadj-Bouziane
- Integrative Multisensory Perception Action & Cognition Team (ImpAct), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Bron, France
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR7290, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, 13331, Marseille, France
- Station de Primatologie CNRS, UAR846, 13790, Rousset, France
- Institut Language, Communication and the Brain (ILCB), Aix-Marseille Université, 13604, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Emmanuel Procyk
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, Bron, France
| | - Charles R E Wilson
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, Bron, France
| | - Michael Petrides
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA.
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Martonos CO, Gudea AI, Ratiu IA, Stan FG, Bolfă P, Little WB, Dezdrobitu CC. Anatomical, Histological, and Morphometrical Investigations of the Auditory Ossicles in Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus from Saint Kitts Island. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040631. [PMID: 37106831 PMCID: PMC10135957 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Otological studies rely on a lot of data drawn from animal studies. A lot of pathological or evolutionary questions may find answers in studies on primates, providing insights into the morphological, pathological, and physiological aspects of systematic biological studies. Our study on auditory ossicles moves from a pure morphological (macroscopic and microscopic) investigation of auditory ossicles to the morphometrical evaluation of several individuals as well as to some interpretative data regarding some functional aspects drawn from these investigations. Particularities from this perspective blend with metric data and point toward comparative elements that might also serve as an important reference in further morphologic and comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Olimpiu Martonos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Alexandru Ion Gudea
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana A Ratiu
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Florin Gheorghe Stan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Pompei Bolfă
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - William Brady Little
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
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6
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Boeckx C. What made us "hunter-gatherers of words". Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1080861. [PMID: 36845441 PMCID: PMC9947416 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1080861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper makes three interconnected claims: (i) the "human condition" cannot be captured by evolutionary narratives that reduce it to a recent 'cognitive modernity', nor by narratives that eliminates all cognitive differences between us and out closest extinct relatives, (ii) signals from paleogenomics, especially coming from deserts of introgression but also from signatures of positive selection, point to the importance of mutations that impact neurodevelopment, plausibly leading to temperamental differences, which may impact cultural evolutionary trajectories in specific ways, and (iii) these trajectories are expected to affect the language phenotypes, modifying what is being learned and how it is put to use. In particular, I hypothesize that these different trajectories influence the development of symbolic systems, the flexible ways in which symbols combine, and the size and configurations of the communities in which these systems are put to use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Boeckx
- Section of General Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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7
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Bruner E, Beaudet A. The brain of Homo habilis: Three decades of paleoneurology. J Hum Evol 2023; 174:103281. [PMID: 36455402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In 1987, Phillip Tobias published a comprehensive anatomical analysis of the endocasts attributed to Homo habilis, discussing issues dealing with brain size, sulcal patterns, and vascular traces. He suggested that the neuroanatomy of this species evidenced a clear change toward many cerebral traits associated with our genus, mostly when concerning the morphology of the frontal and parietal cortex. After more than 30 years, the fossil record associated with this taxon has not grown that much, but we have much more information on cranial and brain biology, and we are using a larger array of digital methods to investigate the paleoneurological variation observed in the human genus. Brain volume, the size of the frontal lobe, or the gross hemispheric asymmetries are still relevant issues, but they are considered to be less central than before. More attention is instead being paid to the cortical organization, the relationships with the cranial architecture, and the influence of molecular or ecological factors. Although the field of paleoneurology can currently count on a larger range of tools and principles, there is still a general lack of anatomical information on many endocranial traits. This aspect is probably crucial for the agenda of paleoneurology. More importantly, the whole science is undergoing a delicate change, because of the growing influence of the social environment. In this sense, the disciplines working with fossils (and, in particular, with brain evolution) should take particular care to maintain a healthy professional situation, avoiding an excess of speculation and overstatement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002 Burgos, Spain.
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- University of Cambridge, Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam St, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, South Africa; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Carrer de l'Escola Industrial, 23, 08201 Sabadell, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Reilly PF, Tjahjadi A, Miller SL, Akey JM, Tucci S. The contribution of Neanderthal introgression to modern human traits. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R970-R983. [PMID: 36167050 PMCID: PMC9741939 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neanderthals, our closest extinct relatives, lived in western Eurasia from 400,000 years ago until they went extinct around 40,000 years ago. DNA retrieved from ancient specimens revealed that Neanderthals mated with modern human contemporaries. As a consequence, introgressed Neanderthal DNA survives scattered across the human genome such that 1-4% of the genome of present-day people outside Africa are inherited from Neanderthal ancestors. Patterns of Neanderthal introgressed genomic sequences suggest that Neanderthal alleles had distinct fates in the modern human genetic background. Some Neanderthal alleles facilitated human adaptation to new environments such as novel climate conditions, UV exposure levels and pathogens, while others had deleterious consequences. Here, we review the body of work on Neanderthal introgression over the past decade. We describe how evolutionary forces shaped the genomic landscape of Neanderthal introgression and highlight the impact of introgressed alleles on human biology and phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Audrey Tjahjadi
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Joshua M Akey
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Serena Tucci
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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9
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Bayle P, Armand D, Bessou M, Cochard D, Couture C, Deguilloux M, Ferrier C, Haget C, Jaubert J, Knüsel C, Martins S, Pubert É, Rottier S, Souron A, Beauval C, Caillo A, Dutailly B, Girault T, Hesry M, Lacrampe‐Cuyaubère F, Ledevin R, Masset C, Mesa‐Saborido M, Mora P, Muth X, Pinson R, Thibeault A, Thomas M, Vanderesse N, Bordes J. Enhancing the learning of evolutionary anthropology skills by combining student‐active teaching with actual and virtual immersion of Master's students in fieldwork, laboratory practice, and dissemination. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8825. [PMID: 35441006 PMCID: PMC9012909 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher education in evolutionary anthropology involves providing students with in‐depth knowledge of biological and cultural heritage sites and collections that are frequently inaccessible. Indeed, most sites, fossils, and archaeological remains can be visited or manipulated only rarely and solely by specialists with extensive experience. Owing to the development of 3D and medical imaging techniques, this fragile heritage is now more widely accessible, and in a dynamic way. However, exclusive adoption of virtual teaching and learning has a negative impact on student engagement and, naturally, on exchanges with instructors, and thus cannot be used without some reservations. In the ITAP (Immersion dans les Terrains de l’Anthropologie biologique et de la Préhistoire) project of the higher education STEP (Soutien à la Transformation et à l’Expérimentation Pédagogiques) transformation program at the University of Bordeaux, we combine student‐active teaching with Master's students fully immersed in ongoing fieldwork, laboratory study, and dissemination of research results in order to develop more individually shaped learning curricula and to foster both professional and new interdisciplinary skills. Here, we present examples of experiments conducted in the ITAP project using both authentic and virtual collections of archaeological, experimental, and reference materials that help to break down the barriers between research activities and higher education, as well as providing a more general appraisal of the appropriate use of virtual tools in higher education by combining them with real‐life situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Bayle
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Maryelle Bessou
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | - David Cochard
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | | | | | - Cathy Haget
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | - Jacques Jaubert
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Stéphanie Martins
- Mission d'Appui à la Pédagogie et à l'Innovation University of Bordeaux Bordeaux France
| | - Éric Pubert
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Antoine Souron
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Arnaud Caillo
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | - Bruno Dutailly
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
- UMS 3657 CNRS, Archéovision Bordeaux Montaigne University Pessac France
| | - Thomas Girault
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | - Malo Hesry
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Ronan Ledevin
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | | | - Pascal Mora
- UMS 3657 CNRS, Archéovision Bordeaux Montaigne University Pessac France
| | | | - Raphaël Pinson
- UMR5199 CNRS, MC, PACEA University of Bordeaux Pessac France
| | | | - Marc Thomas
- UMR 5608 CNRS, TRACES University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès Toulouse France
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10
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Lauer G. Language, Childhood, and Fire: How We Learned to Love Sharing Stories. Front Psychol 2022; 12:787203. [PMID: 35153908 PMCID: PMC8828489 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.787203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stories do not fossilize. Thus, exploring tales shared during prehistory, the longest part of human history inevitably becomes speculative. Nevertheless, various attempts have been made to find a more scientifically valid way into our deep human past of storytelling. Following the social brain hypothesis, we suggest including into the theory of human storytelling more fine-grained and evidence-based findings (from archaeology, the cognitive sciences, and evolutionary psychology) about the manifold exaptation and adaptation, genetic changes, and phenotypic plasticity in the deep human past, which all shaped the emergence of storytelling in hominins. We identify three preconditions for humans sharing stories: first, the long evolution of language in the different taxa as one of the preconditions of ostensive signaling; second, the pivotal role of childhood in the evolution of collaborative intentionality; and third, the role of fireside chats in the rise of elaborative (i.e., narrative) sharing of stories. We propose that humans, albeit perhaps no other hominins learned to understand others through sharing stories, not only as intentional agents, but also as mental ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Lauer
- Gutenberg Institute of World Literature and Written Media, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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11
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Balzeau A, Pagano A. The cranial base and related internal anatomical features in Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:2030-2037. [PMID: 34989121 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24854] [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: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The cranial anatomy of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens is well documented in the paleoanthropological and medical literature. However, there are few high-quality visual guides of their comparative morphology. We give here a detailed description of the anatomy of two important fossil specimens, La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 and abri Pataud 1, based on high-resolution imaging data with each specimen representing the respective morphologies of H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens. We describe the comparative morphology of external, endocranial, and internal characteristics of the cranium, with a focus on the petrous and tympanic portions of the temporal bone. This descriptive approach shows differences between our specimens, including in positions of cerebral components relative to cranial structures and patterns of dural sinus drainage. Numerous external and internal differences in the shape of the petrous temporal are also described, including its articulation with the tympanic bone and the orientation of the petrotympanic crest. The presence of a large protuberance between the osseous Eustachian tube orifice and carotid foramen in H. neanderthalensis suggests that the levator veli palatini muscle took origin more laterally than the dilator tubae arm of the tensor veli palatini muscle, a feature shared with H. sapiens. The overall pattern that emerges is one in which two species have undergone large-scale evolutionary changes in a functionally critical region. Such differences necessitate high-quality visualization and consideration of both internal and external morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Balzeau
- PaleoFED Team, UMR 7194, CNRS, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France.,Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Anthony Pagano
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
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Dediu D, Moisik SR, Baetsen WA, Bosman AM, Waters-Rist AL. The vocal tract as a time machine: inferences about past speech and language from the anatomy of the speech organs. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200192. [PMID: 33745306 PMCID: PMC8059537 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While speech and language do not fossilize, they still leave traces that can be extracted and interpreted. Here, we suggest that the shape of the hard structures of the vocal tract may also allow inferences about the speech of long-gone humans. These build on recent experimental and modelling studies, showing that there is extensive variation between individuals in the precise shape of the vocal tract, and that this variation affects speech and language. In particular, we show that detailed anatomical information concerning two components of the vocal tract (the lower jaw and the hard palate) can be extracted and digitized from the osteological remains of three historical populations from The Netherlands, and can be used to conduct three-dimensional biomechanical simulations of vowel production. We could recover the signatures of inter-individual variation between these vowels, in acoustics and articulation. While 'proof-of-concept', this study suggests that older and less well-preserved remains could be used to draw inferences about historic and prehistoric languages. Moreover, it forces us to clarify the meaning and use of the uniformitarian principle in linguistics, and to consider the wider context of language use, including the anatomy, physiology and cognition of the speakers. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reconstructing prehistoric languages'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Dediu
- Laboratoire Dynamique De Langage (DDL) UMR 5596, Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France
| | - Scott R. Moisik
- Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - W. A. Baetsen
- RAAP Archeologisch Adviesbureau b.v., Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Abel Marinus Bosman
- DFG Center for Advanced Studies ‘Words, Bones, Genes, Tools: Tracking Linguistic, Cultural, and Biological Trajectories of the Human Past’, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- IDDS Groep b.v., Noordwijk, The Netherlands
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Conde-Valverde M, Martínez I, Quam RM, Rosa M, Velez AD, Lorenzo C, Jarabo P, Bermúdez de Castro JM, Carbonell E, Arsuaga JL. Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had similar auditory and speech capacities. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:609-615. [PMID: 33649543 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01391-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The study of audition in fossil hominins is of great interest given its relationship with intraspecific vocal communication. While the auditory capacities have been studied in early hominins and in the Middle Pleistocene Sima de los Huesos hominins, less is known about the hearing abilities of the Neanderthals. Here, we provide a detailed approach to their auditory capacities. Relying on computerized tomography scans and a comprehensive model from the field of auditory bioengineering, we have established sound power transmission through the outer and middle ear and calculated the occupied bandwidth in Neanderthals. The occupied bandwidth is directly related to the efficiency of the vocal communication system of a species. Our results show that the occupied bandwidth of Neanderthals was greater than the Sima de los Huesos hominins and similar to extant humans, implying that Neanderthals evolved the auditory capacities to support a vocal communication system as efficient as modern human speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Conde-Valverde
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ignacio Martínez
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.,Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rolf M Quam
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.,Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY, USA.,Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manuel Rosa
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Alex D Velez
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Carlos Lorenzo
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.,Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Pilar Jarabo
- Departamento de Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - José María Bermúdez de Castro
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Burgos, Spain.,Anthropology Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Eudald Carbonell
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.,Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Tarragona, Spain.,Departamento de Historia, Geografía y Comunicación, Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Arsuaga
- Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Breyl M. Triangulating Neanderthal cognition: A tale of not seeing the forest for the trees. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2020; 12:e1545. [PMID: 32918796 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The inference of Neanderthal cognition, including their cultural and linguistic capabilities, has persisted as a fiercely debated research topic for decades. This lack of consensus is substantially based on inherent uncertainties in reconstructing prehistory out of indirect evidence as well as other methodological limitations. Further factors include systemic difficulties within interdisciplinary discourse, data artifacts, historic research biases, and the sheer scope of the relevant research. Given the degrees of freedom in interpretation ensuing from these complications, any attempt to find approximate answers to the yet unsettled pertinent discourse may not rest on single studies, but instead a careful and comprehensive interdisciplinary synthesis of findings. Triangulating Neanderthals' cognition by considering the plethora of data, diverse perspectives and aforementioned complexities present within the literature constitutes the currently most reliable pathway to tentative conclusions. While some uncertainties remain, such an approach paints the picture of an extensive shared humanity between anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Linguistics > Evolution of Language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Breyl
- Germanistik, Komparatistik, Nordistik, Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
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15
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Conde-Valverde M, Martínez I, Quam RM, Bonmatí A, Lorenzo C, Velez AD, Martínez-Calvo C, Arsuaga JL. The cochlea of the Sima de los Huesos hominins (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain): New insights into cochlear evolution in the genus Homo. J Hum Evol 2019; 136:102641. [PMID: 31569005 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The cochlea contains taxonomic and phylogenetic information and its morphology is related with hearing abilities among fossil hominins. Data for the genus Homo is presently limited to early Homo and the early Neandertals from Krapina. The present study of the middle Pleistocene hominins from the Sima de los Huesos (SH) provides new evidence on cochlear evolution in the genus Homo. We compared the absolute length, proportional lengths of each turn, number of turns, size and shape of the cross-section of the basal turn, volume, curvature gradient, and thickness of the cochlea between extant Pan troglodytes, extant Homo sapiens, Homo neanderthalensis and the SH hominins. The SH hominins resemble P. troglodytes in the proportionally long basal turn, the small size and round shape of the cross-section of the basal turn, the small cochlear volume and the low cochlear thickness. The SH hominins resemble Neandertals and H. sapiens in their long cochlear length and in the proportionally short third turn. Homo neanderthalensis and H. sapiens share several features, not present in the SH hominins, and that likely represent homoplasies: a larger volume, larger size and oval shape of the cross-section of the basal turn and higher cochlear thickness. Later Neandertals show a derived proportionally shorter apical turn. Changes in cochlear volume in Homo cannot be fully explained by variation in body mass or cochlear length but are more directly related to changes in the cross-sectional area of the basal turn. Based on previous studies of the outer and middle ear in SH hominins, changes in the outer and middle ear preceded changes in the inner ear, and the cochlea and semicircular canals seem to have evolved independently in the Neandertal clade. Finally, the small cochlear volume in the SH hominins suggests a slightly higher upper limit of hearing compared with modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Conde-Valverde
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ignacio Martínez
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Av. Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rolf M Quam
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Av. Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA; Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West-79th St., New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Alejandro Bonmatí
- Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Av. Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Lorenzo
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Departament d'Història i Història de l'Art, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Campus Sescelades URV, Zona Educacional 4, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Alex D Velez
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Carolina Martínez-Calvo
- Cátedra de Otoacústica Evolutiva y Paleoantropología (HM Hospitales-Universidad de Alcalá), Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Arsuaga
- Centro Mixto (UCM-ISCIII) de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Av. Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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16
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Pagano AS, Márquez S, Laitman JT. Reconstructing the Neanderthal Eustachian Tube: New Insights on Disease Susceptibility, Fitness Cost, and Extinction. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:2109-2125. [PMID: 31472033 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Neanderthals are among the best studied and yet most enigmatic fossil human groups with aspects of their anatomy and functional morphology remaining poorly understood. We present the first anatomical reconstruction of the Neanderthal cartilaginous Eustachian tube (CET), a vital component of the upper respiratory tract and nexus for the middle ear and postnasal airway. The Eustachian (auditory, pharyngotympanic) tube, comprised of a bony and cartilaginous (CET) portion, is integral to normal physiological functions such as middle ear aeration and pressure equilibration. Findings indicate that Neanderthal tubal morphology may have predisposed them to high rates of middle ear disease (otitis media [OM]). In living humans, mechanical CET dysfunction underlies OM in infants and young children, with sequelae including hearing loss, meningitis, and pneumonia. Despite proven linkage of CET malfunction with OM, the role of CET morphology in Neanderthal health and disease remains unstudied. We reconstructed Neanderthal CET morphology, comparing their crania to a modern human growth series. Methods included geometric morphometrics and univariate measures among Procrustes-fitted coordinates. Results showed Neanderthal adults exhibiting primitively tall and narrow nasopharynges with infant-like horizontal CET and choanal orientation. As horizontal CET orientation is associated with increased OM incidence in infants and children until around age six, its appearance in Neanderthal adults strongly indicates persistence of high OM susceptibility at this time. This could have compromised fitness and disease load relative to sympatric modern humans, affecting Neanderthals' ability to compete within their ecological niche, and potentially contributing to their rapid extinction. Anat Rec, 302:2109-2125, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Santino Pagano
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, Nutley, New Jersey.,NYCEP Morphometrics Group.,Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Samuel Márquez
- Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, New York, New York.,Department of Otolaryngology, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jeffrey T Laitman
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Department of Otolaryngology, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, New York
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17
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Description and analysis of three Homo naledi incudes from the Dinaledi Chamber, Rising Star cave (South Africa). J Hum Evol 2018; 122:146-155. [PMID: 30001870 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.06.008] [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: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study describes three incudes recovered from the Dinaledi Chamber in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa. All three bones were recovered during sieving of excavated sediments and likely represent three Homo naledi individuals. Morphologically and metrically, the Dinaledi ossicles resemble those of chimpanzees and Paranthropus robustus more than they do later members of the genus Homo, and fall outside of the modern human range of variation in several dimensions. Despite this, when overall size is considered, the functional lengths in H. naledi and P. robustus are very similar to those predicted for a human with a similar-sized incus. In this sense, both taxa seem to show a relatively elongated functional length, distinguishing them from chimpanzees. The functional length in H. naledi is slightly longer in absolute terms than in P. robustus, suggesting H. naledi may already show a slight increase in functional length compared with early hominins. While H. naledi lacks the more open angle between the long and short processes found in modern humans, considered a derived feature within the genus Homo, the value in H. naledi is similar to that predicted for a hominoid with a similar-sized incus. Principal components analysis of size-standardized variables shows H. naledi falling outside of the recent human range of variation, but within the confidence ellipse for gorillas. Phylogenetic polarity is complicated by the absence of incus data from early members of the genus Homo, but the generally primitive nature of the H. naledi incudes is consistent with other primitive features of the species, such as the very small cranial capacity. These ossicles add significantly to the understanding of incus variation in hominins and provide important new data on the morphology and taxonomic affinities of H. naledi.
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19
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Gómez-Olivencia A, Quam R, Sala N, Bardey M, Ohman JC, Balzeau A. La Ferrassie 1: New perspectives on a “classic” Neandertal. J Hum Evol 2018; 117:13-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Rolvien T, Schmidt FN, Milovanovic P, Jähn K, Riedel C, Butscheidt S, Püschel K, Jeschke A, Amling M, Busse B. Early bone tissue aging in human auditory ossicles is accompanied by excessive hypermineralization, osteocyte death and micropetrosis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1920. [PMID: 29382878 PMCID: PMC5789841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19803-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the mineralized bone, osteocytes form a multifunctional mechanosensitive network orchestrating bone remodelling. A preserved osteocyte population is a crucial determinant of bone quality. In human auditory ossicles, the early decrease in osteocyte numbers but maintained integrity remains an unexplained phenomenon that might serve for sound transmission from air to the labyrinth. Here we analysed the frequency, size and composition of osteocyte lacunae in the auditory ossicles of 22 individuals from early postnatal period to old age. Mineralization of the bone matrix was determined using backscattered electron imaging. No signs of bone remodelling were observed above the age of 1 year. We detected characteristics of early bone tissue aging, such as decrease in osteocytes, lower total lacunar density and lacunar area, as well as high matrix mineralization accompanied by distinct accumulation of micropetrotic lacunae and decreased indentation depths. The majority of these changes took place in the first months and years of life, while afterwards only minor reorganization was present. With osteocyte apoptosis potentially being a consequence of low mechanical stimuli, the early loss of osteocytes without initiation of bone remodelling indicates an adaptive response conserving the architecture of the auditory ossicles and ensuring stable sound transmission throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Rolvien
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix N Schmidt
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petar Milovanovic
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Katharina Jähn
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Riedel
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Butscheidt
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Püschel
- Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anke Jeschke
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Amling
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Björn Busse
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Koyabu D, Hosojima M, Endo H. Into the dark: patterns of middle ear adaptations in subterranean eulipotyphlan mammals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170608. [PMID: 28989763 PMCID: PMC5627103 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of the middle ear ossicles was a key innovation for mammals, enhancing the transmission of airborne sound. Radiation into various habitats from a terrestrial environment resulted in diversification of the auditory mechanisms among mammals. However, due to the paucity of phylogenetically controlled investigations, how middle ear traits have diversified with functional specialization remains unclear. In order to identify the respective patterns for various lifestyles and to gain insights into fossil forms, we employed a high-resolution tomography technique and compared the middle ear morphology of eulipotyphlan species (moles, shrews and hedgehogs), a group that has radiated into various environments, such as terrestrial, aquatic and subterranean habitats. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis was conducted within a phylogenetically controlled framework. Quantitative shapes were found to strongly reflect the degree of subterranean lifestyle and weakly involve phylogeny. Our analyses demonstrate that subterranean adaptation should include a relatively shorter anterior process of the malleus, an enlarged incus, an enlarged stapes footplate and a reduction of the orbicular apophysis. These traits arguably allow improving low-frequency sound transmission at low frequencies and inhibiting the low-frequency noise which disturbs the subterranean animals in hearing airborne sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
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