The 1924 African discovery of an early hominin child's skull, referred to as Australopithecus africanus by Raymond Dart, was a major event in the history of paleoanthropology. This provided the first evidence of early hominins in Africa and overturned conventional ideas about human evolution. Subsequent discoveries of A. africanus fossils, notably from cave deposits at Sterkfontein, yielded the first evidence that early hominins were habitual bipeds. Fifty years after this, the discovered wealth of fossil evidence in eastern Africa of the slightly older and craniodentally more primitive taxon, A. afarensis, catalyzed debates about the origin and evolution of human gait and the phylogentic relationships among early hominins. This formed the main basis of our understanding of early hominin bipedality and paleobiology. Little attention has been paid to the variation among species in postcranial anatomy and locomotion, although intriguing hints are beginning to appear in the literature. Did multiple varieties of bipedality evolve? Did australopith species differ in positional or manipulative abilities, body proportions, or patterns of sexual dimorphism? These are critical questions for understanding the evolution of australopiths and hominin locomotion.
In this book, Bernhard Zipfel, Brian Richmond, Carol Ward, and the most knowledgeable scholars in their respective fields provide groundbreaking accounts for each postcranial fossil and expert examinations into the background of each fossil. The chapters include standardized high-quality photographs and anatomical descriptions to allow readers to read the book entirely or learn by comparing features across chapters. Hominin Postcranial Remains from Sterkfontein, South Africa, 1936-1995 is an evolutionary history of South African hominins, and it offers readers an orientation and introduction to the field. This is an important reference book for professional paleontologists, paleobiologists, anthropologists, geologists, students, and historians interested in human evolution.
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This volume is the first source to present an in depth analysis of postcranial fossils, allowing readers to cross compare standardized data for themselves.
i. Preface Carol V. Ward, Brian G. Richmond, Bernhard Zipfel
ii. Introductory remarks to the Workshop on Sterkfontein Postcranial Fossils Philip V. Tobias
Section 1: Temporal, geologic and historical context of the Sterkfontein hominins
1. A summary of the history of exploration at the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site Francis Thackeray
2. The geological setting, cave formation, and stratigraphy of the fossil bearing deposits at Sterkfontein Caves Dominic Stratford
3. A new multidisciplinary age of 2.61 - 2.07 Ma for the Sterkfontein Member 4 australopiths Robyn Pickering, Andy I.R. Herries
Section 2: Postcranial anatomy of the Sterkfontein hominins
4. The partial skeletons Carol V. Ward, Martin Haeusler, Bernhard Zipfel
5. Scapula, clavicle, and proximal humerus David J. Green
6. Distal humerus Michael R. Lague, Colin G. Menter
7. Ulna and radius Michelle S. M. Drapeau, Colin G. Menter
8. Carpals Matthew W. Tocheri, Job Kibii
9. Metacarpals & manual phalanges Tracy L. Kivell, Kelly Ostrofsky, Brian G. Richmond, Michelle Drapeau
10. Thoracolumbar vertebrae and ribs Carol V. Ward, Burt Rosenman, Bruce Latimer, Shahed Nalla
11. Pelvis Martin Haeusler, Christopher B. Ruff
12. Femur Jeremy M. Desilva, Mark Grabowski
13. Tibia and fibula Kristian J. Carlson, Bernhard Zipfel, William Jungers
14. Tarsals Tea Jashashvili, Kristian J. Carlson, Ronald J. Clarke
15. Metatarsals and pedal phalanges Bernhard Zipfel, Roshna Wunderlich
Section 3: Functional anatomy & biology
16. Long bone cross-sectional geometry Christopher B. Ruff, Ryan W. Higgins, Kristian J. Carlson
17. Limb proportions and positional behavior: Revisiting the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of locomotor reconstruction in Australopithecus africanus Adam D. Gordon, David J. Green, William L. Jungers, Brian G. Richmond
18. Summary and Synthesis Carol V. Ward, Bernhard Zipfel
Section 4: Appendices
Appendix I - Table of specimens, locus (grid and depth, identification and date of discovery).
Appendix II - Figure 1. Other lower limb, humeral and radial sections; Figure 2. Other ulna sections; Table 1. Cross-sectional properties of all sections.
Appendix III - Fossil sample used in studies presented in Chapter 17.
Appendix IV - Extant sample used in studies presented in Chapter 17.
Appendix V - Measurement definitions used in studies presented in Chapter 17.
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The editors and their contributors are to be congratulated on producing a volume that provides a wealth of knowledge not only about the longneglected postcranial remains from Sterkfontein, but also about other African fossils. This book stands to be heavily cited by future researchers, who will welcome the compilation of so much valuable information relating to early hominin postcranial morphology.
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"The editors and their contributors are to be congratulated on producing a volume that provides a wealth of knowledge not only about the longneglected postcranial remains from Sterkfontein, but also about other African fossils. This book stands to be heavily cited by future researchers, who will welcome the compilation of so much valuable information relating to early hominin postcranial morphology." -- Frederick E. Grine, Stony Brook University, New York,
The Quarterly Review of Biology
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Selling point: Cross examines the relationship between modern humans and the fossil findings from Sterkfontein, including the tibia, fibula, femur, tarsals, pelvis, thoracolumbar vertebrae, ribs, and more
Selling point: Comparative observations and statistical analysis of taxonomically and functionally relevant aspects of morphology
Selling point: Provides drafted reconstructions of postcranial fossils
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Bernhard Zipfel is University Curator of Fossil and Rock Collections at the Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand.
Brian G. Richmond is a Senior Data Scientist for Product Intelligence at Aura Health. Richmond was Associate Professor of Anthropology, Anatomy, and Regenerative Biology at George Washington University for twelve years, and he previously held the position of Senior Scientist at the American Museum of Natural History.
Carol V. Ward is Curators' Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor in the University of Missouri Department of Anthropology.
Les mer
Selling point: Cross examines the relationship between modern humans and the fossil findings from Sterkfontein, including the tibia, fibula, femur, tarsals, pelvis, thoracolumbar vertebrae, ribs, and more
Selling point: Comparative observations and statistical analysis of taxonomically and functionally relevant aspects of morphology
Selling point: Provides drafted reconstructions of postcranial fossils
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780197507667
Publisert
2020
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxford University Press Inc
Vekt
1089 gr
Høyde
221 mm
Bredde
282 mm
Dybde
20 mm
Aldersnivå
P, UP, 06, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
396