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Endocast morphology of Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Hominin cranial remains from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa, represent multiple individuals of the species Homo naledi This species exhibits a small endocranial volume comparable to Australopithecus, combined with several aspects of external cranial anatomy similar to larger-brained species of Homo such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus Here, we describe the endocast anatomy of this recently discovered species. Despite the small size of the H. naledi endocasts, they share several aspects of structure in common with other species of Homo, not found in other hominins or great apes, notably in the organization of the inferior frontal and lateral orbital gyri. The presence of such structural innovations in a small-brained hominin may have relevance to behavioral evolution within the genus Homo.

SUBMITTER: Holloway RL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5984505 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Endocast morphology of Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

Holloway Ralph L RL Hurst Shawn D SD Garvin Heather M HM Schoenemann P Thomas PT Vanti William B WB Berger Lee R LR Hawks John J

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20180514 22

Hominin cranial remains from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa, represent multiple individuals of the species Homo naledi This species exhibits a small endocranial volume comparable to Australopithecus, combined with several aspects of external cranial anatomy similar to larger-brained species of Homo such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus Here, we describe the endocast anatomy of this recently discovered species. Despite the small size of the H. naledi ...[more]

PMID: 29760068

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