Early Homo erectus skeleton from west Lake Turkana, Kenya

Brown, F.; Harris, John; Leakey, Richard E.; Walker, Alan

doi:10.1038/316788a0

Cited by 347 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Below each analysis, the r 2 for each individual axis and its significance to the model as a whole is recorded. this specimen is a juvenile which could affect its placement (Brown et al, 1985) and it is not far outside the range of human variation. The traits that covary most strongly on the first axis are, for the humerus, the height of the medial and lateral epicondyles with Homo having them more distally flexed and the apes having them more proximally flexed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3). Again, the fact that KNM-WT 15000 is a juvenile (Brown et al, 1985) cannot be discounted. The traits that covary between the distal humerus and distal femur are, for the humerus, the position of both the medial and lateral epicondyles, which are relatively low in humans as opposed to the apes, as well as the proximal-anterior border and shape of the trochlea.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forelimb to Hindlimb Shape Covariance in Extant Hominoids and Fossil Hominins

Tallman

2012

The Anatomical Record

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Researchers often attempt to use limb proportions to ascertain the locomotor repertoires of fossil hominins. This can be problematic as there are few skeletons in the fossil record that preserve both a full forelimb and hindlimb; therefore, estimates of full limb lengths are typically associated with substantial error. In this study, two-block partial least squares analyses were used to examine covariation between forelimb and hindlimb elements in extant hominoids and fossil hominins. This has the benefit of including both forelimb and hindlimb in a type of functional analysis without necessitating an accurate length estimate. There is a high degree of covariation between forelimb and hindlimb segments in the mixed species sample, particularly in the proximal ulna, distal humerus, and proximal/distal femur and that shape covariation is significantly correlated with intermembral indices in the extant taxa. Overall, the fossil hominins most closely resembled modern humans with the exception of analyses utilizing the distal femur where some occupied a unique morphological position; thus, some fossil hominins likely possessed locomotor capabilities similar to modern humans, whereas others likely represent a unique morphological compromise between terrestrial bipedality and other positional behaviors not present among extant hominoids.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forelimb to Hindlimb Shape Covariance in Extant Hominoids and Fossil Hominins

Tallman

2012

The Anatomical Record

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“…Samples from H. erectus fossils found above the Solo River near Ngandong, Java in the mid-1900s, believed to be as recent as 50,000 years old (23), were examined, as were numerous faunal samples collected from sites (see Materials and Methods), where African bipedal hominid fossils had previously been found (24)(25)(26). Unfortunately, none of these samples yielded detectable Sias, indicating that the fossilization conditions at these sites were not conducive to Sias preservation.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Homo erectus fossil samples (Solo skulls) found in Ngandong, East Java in the 1930s as well as fossil fauna from Ngandong excavated in 1976 (23) were obtained from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, with permission from Teuku Jacob. Kenyan fossil samples were collected from sites in the Turkana Basin dating between 4 and 1.5 million years, including Nariokotome, Nachukui, Kalachoro, Lomekwi, and Kanapoi to the west of the modern lake, and Allia Bay and Koobi Fora to the east (24)(25)(26).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inactivation of CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase occurred prior to brain expansion during human evolution

Chou

Hayakawa

Díaz

et al. 2002

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

320

236

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Humans are genetically deficient in the common mammalian sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) because of an Alu-mediated inactivating mutation of the gene encoding the enzyme CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac) hydroxylase (CMAH). This mutation occurred after our last common ancestor with bonobos and chimpanzees, and before the origin of present-day humans. Here, we take multiple approaches to estimate the timing of this mutation in relationship to human evolutionary history. First, we have developed a method to extract and identify sialic acids from bones and bony fossils. Two Neandertal fossils studied had clearly detectable Neu5Ac but no Neu5Gc, indicating that the CMAH mutation predated the common ancestor of humans and Neandertals, Ϸ0.5-0.6 million years ago (mya). Second, we date the insertion event of the inactivating human-specific sahAluY element that replaced the ancestral AluSq element found adjacent to exon 6 of the CMAH gene in the chimpanzee genome. Assuming Alu source genes based on a phylogenetic tree of human-specific Alu elements, we estimate the sahAluY insertion time at Ϸ2.7 mya. Third, we apply molecular clock analysis to chimpanzee and other great ape CMAH genes and the corresponding human pseudogene to estimate an inactivation time of Ϸ2.8 mya. Taken together, these studies indicate that the CMAH gene was inactivated shortly before the time when brain expansion began in humankind's ancestry, Ϸ2.1-2.2 mya. In this regard, it is of interest that although Neu5Gc is the major sialic acid in most organs of the chimpanzee, its expression is selectively down-regulated in the brain, for as yet unknown reasons. hominid evolution ͉ sialic acids ͉ Alu sequences

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“…The Nariokotome Homo erectus boy skeleton KNM-WT 15000 is the most complete early hominin yet found (Brown et al, 1985;Walker and Leakey, 1993a). The axial skeleton preserves the last cervical vertebrae, ten thoracic vertebrae and twelve pairs of ribs, all five lumbar vertebrae, and five sacral elements.…”

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting scoliosis in the KNM-WT 15000 Homo erectus skeleton

Schiess¹,

Boeni²,

Rühli³

et al. 2014

Journal of Human Evolution

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Owing to its completeness, the 1.5 million year old Nariokotome boy skeleton KNM-WT 15000 is central for understanding skeletal biology of Homo erectus. Nevertheless, since Latimer and Ohman (2001, Axial dysplasia in Homo erectus. J Hum Evol 40:A12) reported on asymmetries and distortions of Nariokotome boy's axial skeleton suggesting adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, possibly associated with congenital skeletal dysplasia, it is questionable whether it still can be used as reference for Homo erectus. Recently, however, the presence of skeletal dysplasia has been refuted. Here, we present a morphologic and morphometric reanalysis of the assertion of idiopathic scoliosis. We demonstrate that unarticulated vertebral columns of non-scoliotic and scoliotic individuals can be distinguished based on the lateral deviation of the spinous process, lateral and sagittal wedging, vertebral body torsion, pedicle thickness asymmetry and asymmetry of the superior and inferior articular facet area. A principal component analysis of the overall asymmetry of all seven vertebral shape variables groups KNM-WT 15000 within non-scoliotic modern humans. An anomaly of vertebrae T1-T2 is compatible with a short left convex curve at the uppermost thoracic region, possibly due to injury or local growth dysbalance. Asymmetries of the facet joints L3-L5 suggest a local right convex curve in the lower lumbar region that probably resulted from juvenile traumatic disc herniation. This pattern is incompatible with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis or other types of scoliosis, including congenital, neuromuscular or syndromic scoliosis. It is, however, consistent with a recent reanalysis of the rib cage that did not reveal any asymmetry. Except for these possibly trauma-related anomalies, the Nariokotome boy fossil therefore seems to belong to a normal Homo erectus youth without evidence for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis or other severe pathologies of the axial skeleton. AbstractOwing to its completeness, the 1.5 million year old Nariokotome boy skeleton KNM-WT 15000 is central for understanding skeletal biology of Homo erectus. Nevertheless, since Latimer and Ohman (2001, Axial dysplasia in Homo erectus. J Hum Evol 40:A12) reported on asymmetries and distortions of Nariokotome boy's axial skeleton suggesting adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, possibly associated with congenital skeletal dysplasia, it is questionable whether it still can be used as reference for Homo erectus. Recently, however, the presence of skeletal dysplasia has been refuted. Here, we present a morphologic and morphometric reanalysis of the assertion of idiopathic scoliosis. We demonstrate that unarticulated vertebral columns of non-scoliotic and scoliotic individuals can be distinguished based on the lateral deviation of the spinous process, lateral and sagittal wedging, vertebral body torsion, pedicle thickness asymmetry and asymmetry of the superior and inferior articular facet area. A principal component analysis of the overall asymmetry of all seven vertebral shap...

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Early Homo erectus skeleton from west Lake Turkana, Kenya

Cited by 347 publications

References 17 publications

Forelimb to Hindlimb Shape Covariance in Extant Hominoids and Fossil Hominins

Forelimb to Hindlimb Shape Covariance in Extant Hominoids and Fossil Hominins

Inactivation of CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase occurred prior to brain expansion during human evolution

Revisiting scoliosis in the KNM-WT 15000 Homo erectus skeleton

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