Skip navigation
Skip navigation

Pachyosteosclerosis suggests archaic Homo frequently collected sessile littoral foods

Verhaegen, Marc; Munro, Stephen

Description

Fossil skeletons of Homo erectus and related specimens typically had heavy cranial and postcranial bones, and it has been hypothesised that these represent adaptations, or are responses, to various physical activities such as endurance running, heavy exertion, and/or aggressive behavior. According to the comparative biological data, however, skeletons that show a combination of disproportionally large diameters, extremely compact bone cortex, and very narrow medullary canals are associated with...[Show more]

dc.contributor.authorVerhaegen, Marc
dc.contributor.authorMunro, Stephen
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-10T22:32:17Z
dc.identifier.issn0018-442X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/55692
dc.description.abstractFossil skeletons of Homo erectus and related specimens typically had heavy cranial and postcranial bones, and it has been hypothesised that these represent adaptations, or are responses, to various physical activities such as endurance running, heavy exertion, and/or aggressive behavior. According to the comparative biological data, however, skeletons that show a combination of disproportionally large diameters, extremely compact bone cortex, and very narrow medullary canals are associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic tetrapods that wade, and/or dive for sessile foods such as hard-shelled invertebrates in shallow waters. These so-called pachyosteosclerotic bones are less supple and more brittle than non-pachyosteosclerotic bones, and marine biologists agree that they function as hydrostatic ballast for buoyancy control. This paper discusses the possibility that heavy skeletons in archaic Homo might be associated with part-time collection of sessile foods in shallow waters.
dc.publisherGustav Fischer Verlag
dc.sourceHomo: Journal of Comparative Human Biology
dc.subjectKeywords: adaptation; animal; article; bone; bone density; comparative study; diet; ecosystem; evolution; feeding behavior; female; fossil; histology; hominid; human; male; physiology; skull; species difference; Adaptation, Physiological; Animals; Biological Evolut
dc.titlePachyosteosclerosis suggests archaic Homo frequently collected sessile littoral foods
dc.typeJournal article
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.citationvolume62
dc.date.issued2011
local.identifier.absfor160102 - Biological (Physical) Anthropology
local.identifier.ariespublicationf5625xPUB337
local.type.statusPublished Version
local.contributor.affiliationVerhaegen, Marc, Study Centre for Anthropology
local.contributor.affiliationMunro, Stephen, College of Arts and Social Sciences, ANU
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.bibliographicCitation.issue4
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage237
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage247
local.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jchb.2011.06.002
dc.date.updated2016-02-24T09:10:17Z
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-79960630192
CollectionsANU Research Publications

Download

File Description SizeFormat Image
01_Verhaegen_Pachyosteosclerosis_suggests_2011.pdf348.13 kBAdobe PDF    Request a copy


Items in Open Research are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Updated:  17 November 2022/ Responsible Officer:  University Librarian/ Page Contact:  Library Systems & Web Coordinator