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Adaptation to suspensory locomotion in Australopithecus sediba
Thomas R Rein1, Terry Harrison2, Kristian J Carlson3
1Department of Anthropology, Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06053, USA; Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Rümelinstr. 23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany.
Journal of Human Evolution
|March 21, 2017
Summary
Australopithecus sediba fossils reveal unique limb adaptations. Geometric morphometrics show this early hominin had strong capabilities for climbing and suspensory behaviors, distinct from other Australopithecus species.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Functional Morphology
- Hominin Evolution
Background:
- Australopithecus sediba fossils from Malapa, South Africa, exhibit distinct limb skeletal features.
- Previous research suggests A. sediba may have possessed unique locomotor capabilities compared to earlier Australopithecus species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the locomotor adaptations of Australopithecus sediba using a geometric morphometric analysis of the ulna.
- To determine if A. sediba possessed adaptations for suspensory and climbing behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Geometric morphometrics applied to ulnar shape.
- Comparative analysis of ulnar morphology in A. sediba and other early hominins.
Main Results:
- Ulnar shape in A. sediba indicates significant adaptations for suspensory locomotion.
- The forelimb suspensory signal in A. sediba is stronger than in Australopithecus afarensis.
- Functional morphological traits support arboreal movement capabilities in A. sediba.
Conclusions:
- Australopithecus sediba exhibited specialized adaptations for arboreal locomotion, including suspensory behaviors.
- The locomotor repertoire of A. sediba highlights the mosaic and diverse nature of early hominin adaptations.
