Australopithecus sediba Hand Demonstrates Mosaic Evolution of Locomotor and Manipulative Abilities
Australopithecus sediba Hand Demonstrates Mosaic Evolution of Locomotor and Manipulative Abilities
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DOI：
10.1126/science.1202625
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发表时间：
2011-09-09
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Berger, Lee R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kivell, Tracy L.;Kibii, Job M.;Berger, Lee R.
在古人类化石记录中，具有明确分类关系的单个个体的手骨很少，这阻碍了对古人类操作能力进化的理解。在这里，我们描述和分析了一个来自南非马拉帕（197.7万年前）的成年女性的近乎完整的手腕和手[马拉帕古人类2 (MH2)]。这只手呈现出一系列类似南方古猿的特征，比如与树下运动有关的强壮的屈肌器官，以及类似猿人的特征，比如与精确握持和可能制作石器有关的长拇指和短手指。与其他古人类化石的比较表明，在上新世-更新世过渡时期，至少有两种不同的手形态。MH2化石表明Au。源泉种可能代表了与早期石器使用和生产相关的基础条件。
Hand bones from a single individual with a clear taxonomic affiliation are scarce in the hominin fossil record, which has hampered understanding the evolution of manipulative abilities in hominins. Here we describe and analyze a nearly complete wrist and hand of an adult female [Malapa Hominin 2 (MH2)] Australopithecus sediba from Malapa, South Africa (1.977 million years ago). The hand presents a suite of Australopithecus-like features, such as a strong flexor apparatus associated with arboreal locomotion, and Homo-like features, such as a long thumb and short fingers associated with precision gripping and possibly stone tool production. Comparisons to other fossil hominins suggest that there were at least two distinct hand morphotypes around the Plio-Pleistocene transition. The MH2 fossils suggest that Au. sediba may represent a basal condition associated with early stone tool use and production.