Species attribution of the Swartkrans member 1 first metacarpals: SK 84 and SKX 5020

Erik Trinkaus · Jeffrey C. Long

60 citations0/0 files storedAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology

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Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology Primate Behavior and Ecology Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies

Abstract

Susman (Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 75:277-278, 79:451-474; Science 240:781-784; In FE Grine (ed): Evolutionary History of the "Robust" Australopithecines. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, pp. 149-172) has attributed the morphologically similar SK 84 and SKX 5020 hominid first metacarpals to Homo erectus and Australopithecus robustus, respectively, and has inferred that both species exhibited derived pollical morphologies, indicating refined precision grips. Consideration of the structure of his taphonomic arguments indicates that there are no adequate nonmorphological reasons to attribute these specimens securely to one or the other of the craniodentally represented species at Swartkrans. His morphological arguments fail to note any significant differences between the two specimens. Only the contrast in size between the small SK 84 and large SKX 5020 bones might warrant a species distinction; yet comparison of their length ratio to distributions of modern human first metacarpal length ratios indicates that it is not possible to reject conclusively the null hypothesis that they are conspecific. Therefore, early hominid adaptive scenarios based on a derived Homo-like manual functional morphology in A. robustus remain without a secure paleontological basis.

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References

1964A New Species of The Genus Homo From Olduvai Gorge 1985Sexual Dimorphism 1988Hand of Paranthropus robustus from Member 1, Swartkrans: Fossil Evidence for Tool Behavior 1982Hominid tarsal, metatarsal, and phalangeal bones recovered from the Hadar formation: 1974–1977 collections 1962Fossil Hand Bones from Olduvai Gorge 1979Functional and morphological affinities of the subadult hand (O.H. 7) from Olduvai Gorge 1986The use of stone tools by wild-living chimpanzees and earliest hominids 1982Hominid carpal, metacarpal, and phalangeal bones recovered from the Hadar formation: 1974–1977 collections

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