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An early Australopithecus afarensis postcranium from Woranso-Mille, Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT: Only one partial skeleton that includes both forelimb and hindlimb elements has been reported for Australopithecus afarensis. The diminutive size of this specimen (A.L. 288-1 ["Lucy"]) has hampered our understanding of the paleobiology of this species absent the potential impact of allometry. Here we describe a large-bodied (i.e., well within the range of living Homo) specimen that, at 3.58 Ma, also substantially antedates A.L. 288-1. It provides fundamental evidence of limb proportions, thoracic form, and locomotor heritage in Australopithecus afarensis. Together, these characteristics further establish that bipedality in Australopithecus was highly evolved and that thoracic form differed substantially from that of either extant African ape.

SUBMITTER: Haile-Selassie Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2901440 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An early Australopithecus afarensis postcranium from Woranso-Mille, Ethiopia.

Haile-Selassie Yohannes Y Latimer Bruce M BM Alene Mulugeta M Deino Alan L AL Gibert Luis L Melillo Stephanie M SM Saylor Beverly Z BZ Scott Gary R GR Lovejoy C Owen CO

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20100621 27

Only one partial skeleton that includes both forelimb and hindlimb elements has been reported for Australopithecus afarensis. The diminutive size of this specimen (A.L. 288-1 ["Lucy"]) has hampered our understanding of the paleobiology of this species absent the potential impact of allometry. Here we describe a large-bodied (i.e., well within the range of living Homo) specimen that, at 3.58 Ma, also substantially antedates A.L. 288-1. It provides fundamental evidence of limb proportions, thoraci ...[more]

PMID: 20566837

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