Rein Thomas R, Harrison Terry, Carlson Kristian J, Harvati Katerina
Department 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.
Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
J Hum Evol. 2017 Mar;104:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.12.005. Epub 2017 Feb 3.
Australopithecus sediba is represented by well-preserved fossilized remains from the locality of Malapa, South Africa. Recent work has shown that the combination of features in the limb skeleton of A. sediba was distinct from that of earlier species of Australopithecus, perhaps indicating that this species moved differently. The bones of the arm and forearm indicate that A. sediba was adapted to suspensory and climbing behaviors. We used a geometric morphometric approach to examine ulnar shape, potentially identifying adaptations to forelimb suspensory locomotion in A. sediba. Results indicated suspensory capabilities in this species and a stronger forelimb suspensory signal than has been documented in Australopithecus afarensis. Our study confirms the adaptive significance of functional morphological traits for arboreal movements in the locomotor repertoire of A. sediba and provides important insight into the diversity and mosaic nature of locomotor adaptations among early hominins.
南方古猿源泉种的化石遗迹保存完好，发现于南非的马拉帕地区。近期研究表明，南方古猿源泉种肢体骨骼的特征组合与早期南方古猿物种不同，这或许表明该物种的移动方式有所差异。其手臂和前臂的骨骼表明，南方古猿源泉种适应了悬吊和攀爬行为。我们采用几何形态测量方法来研究尺骨形状，以确定南方古猿源泉种对前肢悬吊运动的潜在适应性。结果显示该物种具备悬吊能力，且前肢悬吊信号比阿法南方古猿更强。我们的研究证实了功能形态特征对南方古猿源泉种运动技能中树栖运动具有适应性意义，并为早期人类运动适应性的多样性和镶嵌性本质提供了重要见解。
