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
The Skull as a Whole | |
Endocranial Morphology of A L 4442 | |
Elements of the Disarticulated Skull | |
Implications of A L 4442 for the Taxonomic | |
Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Status of A afarensis | |
Phylogenetic Position of A afarensis | |
Australopithecus afarensis in Human Evolution | |
Notes | |
Index | |
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 afarensis specimens African apes africanus anamensis angle anteriorly anteroposterior articular eminence asterionic Australopithecus species basal boisei boisei specimens breadth calvaria canine chimpanzees chord clivus comparative morphology configuration contour convex coronal plane cranial base cranium cross section dental arcade dentition early hominins endocast endocranial face facial height facial mask female gorillas Figure foramen magnum fragment glenoid region Hadar Hadar sample Hadar specimens hominin hominoids Homo horizontal index value inferiorly infraorbital inion Kimbel KNM-ER KNM-WT Laetoli length lingual mandible mandibular fossa masticatory maxilla maxillary measurements medial midline midsagittal modern humans nasal aperture nasoalveolar nuchal plane occipital bone occlusal opisthion orbital palate petrous phylogenetic plesiomorphic porion position posterior posteriorly postorbital prognathism reconstruction relative robust Australopithecus sagittal crest segment shape sinus skull sulcus superior supraorbital surface suture Table taxa temporal bone temporal squama transverse tympanic element variation vertical width zygomatic arch zygomatic bone zygomatic process