Dataset Information

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

ABSTRACT:

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Newly discovered fossil assemblages of small bodied Homo sapiens from Palau, Micronesia possess characters thought to be taxonomically primitive for the genus Homo.

Background

Recent surface collection and test excavation in limestone caves in the rock islands of Palau, Micronesia, has produced a sizeable sample of human skeletal remains dating roughly between 940-2890 cal ybp.

Principle findings

Preliminary analysis indicates that this material is important for two reasons. First, individuals from the older time horizons are small in body size even relative to "pygmoid" populations from Southeast Asia and Indonesia, and thus may represent a marked case of human insular dwarfism. Second, while possessing a number of derived features that align them with Homo sapiens, the human remains from Palau also exhibit several skeletal traits that are considered to be primitive for the genus Homo.

Significance

These features may be previously unrecognized developmental correlates of small body size and, if so, they may have important implications for interpreting the taxonomic affinities of fossil specimens of Homo.

SUBMITTER: Berger LR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2268239 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

Berger Lee R LR Churchill Steven E SE De Klerk Bonita B Quinn Rhonda L RL

PloS one 20080312 3

<h4>Unlabelled</h4>Newly discovered fossil assemblages of small bodied Homo sapiens from Palau, Micronesia possess characters thought to be taxonomically primitive for the genus Homo.<h4>Background</h4>Recent surface collection and test excavation in limestone caves in the rock islands of Palau, Micronesia, has produced a sizeable sample of human skeletal remains dating roughly between 940-2890 cal ybp.<h4>Principle findings</h4>Preliminary analysis indicates that this material is important for ...[more]

PMID: 18347737

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Dataset Information

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

Unlabelled

Background

Principle findings

Significance

Publications

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

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