Cranial vault thickness in primates: Homo erectus does not have uniquely thick vault bones

Journal of Human Evolution
Lynn E Copes, William H Kimbel

Abstract

Extremely thick cranial vaults have been noted as a diagnostic characteristic of Homo erectus since the first fossil of the species was identified, but relatively little work has been done on elucidating its etiology or variation across fossils, living humans, or extant non-human primates. Cranial vault thickness (CVT) is not a monolithic trait, and the responsiveness of its layers to environmental stimuli is unknown. We obtained measurements of cranial vault thickness in fossil hominins from the literature and supplemented those data with additional measurements taken on African fossil specimens. Total CVT and the thickness of the cortical and diploë layers individually were compared to measures of CVT in extant species measured from more than 500 CT scans of human and non-human primates. Frontal and parietal CVT in fossil primates was compared to a regression of CVT on cranial capacity calculated for extant species. Even after controlling for cranial capacity, African and Asian H. erectus do not have uniquely high frontal or parietal thickness residuals, either among hominins or extant primates. Extant primates with residual CVT thickness similar to or exceeding H. erectus (depending on the sex and bone analyzed) include Nyct...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 11, 2018·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Eli AmsonChristian de Muizon
Jan 27, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Alessandro UrciuoliDavid M Alba
Apr 25, 2018·Journal of Human Evolution·Karen L BaabFrederick E Grine

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