Rosas Antonio, Pérez-Criado Laura, Bastir Markus, Estalrrich Almudena, Huguet Rosa, García-Tabernero Antonio, Pastor Juan Francisco, de la Rasilla Marco
Group of Paleoanthropology MNCN-CSIC, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Calle José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
Group of Paleoanthropology MNCN-CSIC, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Calle José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
J Hum Evol. 2015 May;82:51-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.02.018. Epub 2015 Mar 24.
A new collection of 49,000 year old Neandertal fossil humeri from the El Sidrón cave site (Asturias, Spain) is presented. A total of 49 humeral remains were recovered, representing 10 left and 8 right humeri from adults, adolescents, and a juvenile (not included in the analyses). 3D geometric morphometric (GM) methods as well as classic anthropological variables were employed to conduct a broad comparative analysis by means of mean centroid size and shape comparisons, principal components analysis, and cluster studies. Due to the fragmentary nature of the fossils, comparisons were organized in independent analyses according to different humeral portions: distal epiphysis, diaphysis, proximal epiphysis, and the complete humerus. From a multivariate viewpoint, 3D-GM analyses revealed major differences among taxonomic groups, supporting the value of the humerus in systematic classification. Notably, the Australopithecus anamensis (KP-271) and Homo ergaster Nariokotome (KNM-WT 15000) distal humerus consistently clusters close to those of modern humans, which may imply a primitive condition for Homo sapiens morphology. Australopithecus specimens show a high degree of dispersion in the morphospace. The El Sidrón sample perfectly fits into the classic Neandertal pattern, previously described as having a relatively wide olecranon fossa, as well as thin lateral and medial distodorsal pillars. These characteristics were also typical of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca) sample, African mid-Pleistocene Bodo specimen, and Lower Pleistocene TD6-Atapuerca remains and may be considered as a derived state. Finally, we hypothesize that most of the features thought to be different between Neandertals and modern humans might be associated with structural differences in the pectoral girdle and shoulder joint.
本文展示了一组来自西班牙阿斯图里亚斯埃尔西德隆洞穴遗址的、距今49000年的尼安德特人肱骨化石。共发现49件肱骨残骸，其中包括10件来自成年人的左肱骨、8件来自成年人的右肱骨，以及一些来自青少年的肱骨（未纳入分析）。研究采用了三维几何形态测量（GM）方法以及经典人类学变量，通过平均质心大小和形状比较、主成分分析和聚类研究进行广泛的比较分析。由于化石的碎片化性质，比较分析根据肱骨的不同部分独立进行：远端骨骺、骨干、近端骨骺和完整肱骨。从多变量角度来看，三维几何形态测量分析揭示了不同分类群体之间的主要差异，支持了肱骨在系统分类中的价值。值得注意的是，南方古猿阿法种（KP - 271）和匠人纳里奥科托米人（KNM - WT 15000）的远端肱骨始终与现代人类的聚类接近，这可能意味着智人形态的原始状态。南方古猿标本在形态空间中显示出高度分散。埃尔西德隆样本完全符合之前描述的经典尼安德特人模式，即具有相对较宽的鹰嘴窝，以及薄的外侧和内侧远背侧支柱。这些特征在胡瑟裂谷（阿塔普埃尔卡）样本、非洲中更新世博多标本以及早更新世TD6 - 阿塔普埃尔卡遗骸中也很典型，可能被视为一种衍生状态。最后，我们推测，大多数被认为尼安德特人和现代人类之间存在差异的特征，可能与胸带和肩关节的结构差异有关。
