The Skull of Australopithecus afarensisOxford University Press, 11 мар. 2004 г. - Всего страниц: 272 The book is the most in-depth account of the fossil skull anatomy and evolutionary significance of the 3.6-3.0 million year old early human species Australopithecus afarensis. Knowledge of this species is pivotal to understanding early human evolution, because 1) the sample of fossil remains of A. afarensis is among the most extensive for any early human species, and the majority of remains are of taxonomically inormative skulls and teeth; 2) the wealth of material makes A. afarensis an indispensable point of reference for the interpretation of other fossil discoveries; 3) the species occupies a time period that is the focus of current research to determine when, where, and why the human lineage first diversified into separate contemporaneous lines of descent. Upon publication of this book, this species will be among the most thoroughly documented extinct ancestors of humankind. The main focus of the book - its organizing principle - is the first complete skull of A. afarensis (specimen number A.L. 444-2) at the Hadar site, Ethiopia, the home of the remarkably complete 3.18 million year old skeleton known as "Lucy," found at Hadar by third author D. Johanson in 1974. Lucy and other fossils from Hadar, together with those from the site of Laetoli in Tanzania, were controversially attributed to the then brand new species A. afarensis by Johanson, T. White and Y. Coppens in 1978. However, a complete skull, which would have quickly resolved much of the early debate over the species, proved elusive until second author Y. Rak's discovery of the 444 skull in 1992. The book details the comparative anatomy of the new skull (and the cast of its brain, analyzed by R. Holloway and M. Huan) , as well as of other skull and dental finds recovered during the latest, ongoing field work at Hadar, and analyzes the evolutionary significance of A. afarensis in the context of other critically important discoveries of earliest humans made in recent years. In essence, it summarizes the state of knowledge about one of the central subjects of current paleoanthropological investigation. |
Содержание
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2 Recovery and Reconstruction of AL 4442 | 11 |
The Skull as a Whole | 21 |
4 Endocranial Morphology of AL 4442 | 123 |
5 Elements of the Disarticulated Skull | 136 |
6 Implications of AL 4442 for the Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Status | 210 |
Notes | 235 |
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Другие издания - Просмотреть все
The Skull of Australopithecus afarensis William H. Kimbel,Yoel Rak,Donald C. Johanson Ограниченный просмотр - 2004 |
The Skull of Australopithecus Afarensis William H. Kimbel,Yoel Rak,Donald C. Johanson Недоступно для просмотра - 2004 |
Часто встречающиеся слова и выражения
aethiopicus African apes africanus anamensis angle anteriorly arch articular eminence asterionic Australopithecus afarensis Australopithecus species basal biorbital boisei boisei specimens breadth bregma calvaria canine chimpanzees chord clivus configuration contour convex coronal plane corr cranial base cranium cross section distance endocast endocranial face facial height female gorillas Figure foramen magnum frag glabellar Gorilla gorilla gorillas habilis Hadar Hadar sample hominin hominoids horizontal index value inferior inion Kimbel KNM-ER KNM-WT Laetoli lambda lateral length lingual mandible mandible corpus mandibular fossa margin mastoid maxilla maxillary Measurements medial midline midsagittal modern humans morphology n/a n/a nasal aperture nasoalveolar nuchal plane occipital bone occlusal opisthion orbital palate Pan troglodytes plesiomorphic position posterior posteriorly postorbital prognathism Range reconstruction region relative robust Australopithecus robustus sagittal crest sapiens segment shape sinus skull superior supraorbital surface suture Table taxa temporal lines temporal squama tympanic element vertical width zygomatic bone