Size variation in small-bodied humans from palau, micronesia.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Recent discoveries on Palau are claimed to represent the remains of small-bodied humans that may display evidence insular size reduction. This claim has yet to be statistically validatedMethodology/principal findings
Published postcranial specimens (n = 16) from Palau were assessed relative to recent small-bodied comparative samples. Resampling statistical approaches were employed to test specific hypotheses relating to body size in the Palau sample. Results confirm that the Palau postcranial sample is indisputably small-bodied.Conclusions/significance
A single, homogenous body size morph is represented in early prehistoric postcrania from Palau. Small body size in early Palauans is an ancestral characteristic and was likely not a consequence of in-situ size reduction. Specimens from Palau have little bearing upon hypothesised insular size reduction in the ancestral lineage of Homo floresiensis.
SUBMITTER: Gallagher A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2596964 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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