Species concepts remain contentious, both in paleoanthropology and in modern taxonomy. The lineage-based concept emphasizing evolutionary independence is most fundamental, but in practice is generally represented by proxy evidence of morphological or genetic divergence. This has resulted in a troubling proliferation of species names in the hominin fossil record. Pseudo-extinctions where lineages persisted under a new species name need to be distinguished from cases where lineages ended terminally—the implications for ecological adaptability are diametrically opposed. Furthermore, the ecological criterion for species coexistence is widely overlooked. The competitive exclusion principle holds that species sharing closely similar niches cannot continue to coexist in the same place at the same time. Notably, the largely vegetarian Paranthropus lineage remained distinct from the diverging, more versatile Homo lineage until fading from the fossil record during the later Pleistocene. Claims that additional hominin species existed are ecologically suspect unless supported by evidence of adequate niche separation. Modern examples where there has been equivocation in lineage recognition are illustrated for bovids, giraffids, baboons, and elephants. Furthermore, the mechanisms that resulted in the displacement of Neanderthals by modern humans are reappraised from an ecological perspective. Representations of evolutionary divergence as a bushy tree need to be superseded by the emerging paradigm of reticulate lineages diverging and coalescing through time and space.
{"title":"Reconciling Species Concepts: An Ecological Perspective","authors":"Norman Owen-Smith","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Species concepts remain contentious, both in paleoanthropology and in modern taxonomy. The lineage-based concept emphasizing evolutionary independence is most fundamental, but in practice is generally represented by proxy evidence of morphological or genetic divergence. This has resulted in a troubling proliferation of species names in the hominin fossil record. Pseudo-extinctions where lineages persisted under a new species name need to be distinguished from cases where lineages ended terminally—the implications for ecological adaptability are diametrically opposed. Furthermore, the ecological criterion for species coexistence is widely overlooked. The competitive exclusion principle holds that species sharing closely similar niches cannot continue to coexist in the same place at the same time. Notably, the largely vegetarian <i>Paranthropus</i> lineage remained distinct from the diverging, more versatile <i>Homo</i> lineage until fading from the fossil record during the later Pleistocene. Claims that additional hominin species existed are ecologically suspect unless supported by evidence of adequate niche separation. Modern examples where there has been equivocation in lineage recognition are illustrated for bovids, giraffids, baboons, and elephants. Furthermore, the mechanisms that resulted in the displacement of Neanderthals by modern humans are reappraised from an ecological perspective. Representations of evolutionary divergence as a bushy tree need to be superseded by the emerging paradigm of reticulate lineages diverging and coalescing through time and space.</p>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Christopher Kirk, Christopher J. Campisano, Alan L. Deino, Sebastian Egberts, Addison D. Kemp, Ingrid K. Lundeen, Benjamin Rodwell
Objectives
Here we describe a well-preserved primate frontal bone (TMM 46513-1) recovered from Middle Eocene exposures of the Devil's Graveyard Formation in the Tornillo Basin of Texas. We also discuss the significance of frontal bone morphology for understanding early haplorhine phylogeny.
Materials and Methods
TMM 46513-1 was mechanically prepared, μCT scanned, and compared with a broad array of extant and fossil crown primates. Revised dates for the specimen were provided using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. Dice-CT scans of Saguinus were used to investigate the contents of bony canals found within the frontal bones of many euarchontans.
Results
TMM 46513-1 resembles Rooneyia viejaensis in several key features, including: (1) the presence of a ventral flange on the lateral process of the frontal that intervenes between the posterosuperior orbit and temporal fossa, (2) the presence of a bony canal system (“orbitofrontal canal”) within the frontal that connects a foramen on the posterior aspect of the lateral process (“lateral process foramen”) with the superomedial orbit and the anterior cranial fossa, (3) a metopic suture that is unfused at its rostral end but obliterated at its caudal end, and (4) an anterior cranial fossa that overlaps the posteromedial portions of the orbits.
Conclusions
The lateral segment of the orbitofrontal canal and substantial ventral expansion of the lateral process are features restricted to the Haplorhini among crown primates. The morphological features shared by TMM 46513-1 and Rooneyia suggest that they may be stem haplorhines, but are less consistent with the hypothesis that Rooneyia is a stem anthropoid.
{"title":"A Middle Eocene Haplorhine Frontal Bone From the Tornillo Basin of Texas, and Its Implications for the Phylogenetic Relationships of Rooneyia and Other Paleogene Primates","authors":"E. Christopher Kirk, Christopher J. Campisano, Alan L. Deino, Sebastian Egberts, Addison D. Kemp, Ingrid K. Lundeen, Benjamin Rodwell","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70045","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Here we describe a well-preserved primate frontal bone (TMM 46513-1) recovered from Middle Eocene exposures of the Devil's Graveyard Formation in the Tornillo Basin of Texas. We also discuss the significance of frontal bone morphology for understanding early haplorhine phylogeny.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>TMM 46513-1 was mechanically prepared, μCT scanned, and compared with a broad array of extant and fossil crown primates. Revised dates for the specimen were provided using <sup>40</sup>Ar/<sup>39</sup>Ar geochronology. Dice-CT scans of <i>Saguinus</i> were used to investigate the contents of bony canals found within the frontal bones of many euarchontans.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>TMM 46513-1 resembles <i>Rooneyia viejaensis</i> in several key features, including: (1) the presence of a ventral flange on the lateral process of the frontal that intervenes between the posterosuperior orbit and temporal fossa, (2) the presence of a bony canal system (“orbitofrontal canal”) within the frontal that connects a foramen on the posterior aspect of the lateral process (“lateral process foramen”) with the superomedial orbit and the anterior cranial fossa, (3) a metopic suture that is unfused at its rostral end but obliterated at its caudal end, and (4) an anterior cranial fossa that overlaps the posteromedial portions of the orbits.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The lateral segment of the orbitofrontal canal and substantial ventral expansion of the lateral process are features restricted to the Haplorhini among crown primates. The morphological features shared by TMM 46513-1 and <i>Rooneyia</i> suggest that they may be stem haplorhines, but are less consistent with the hypothesis that <i>Rooneyia</i> is a stem anthropoid.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Donovan M. Adams, Marin A. Pilloud, Ali Metin Büyükkarakaya
Objectives
The present study seeks to examine biological kinship structures as expressed in mortuary treatment and postmarital residence practices of the Early Bronze Age (c. 3000–2000 BCE) Karataş-Semayük in southwestern Anatolia.
Materials and Methods
Dental morphology and metrics of 451 (nfemale = 47; nmale = 67) individuals were examined for biological distance analyses. Gower's coefficient of similarity and Non-Euclidean Fuzzy Relational Clustering (NEFRC) were used to examine phenotypic similarities between individuals and associations with burial location. Binomial and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine significant differences in rare traits between burial locations. Mean pairwise differences, diversity indices, and modified signed-likelihood ratio tests for the equality of coefficients of variation examined significant differences in shape and size variation between males and females.
Results
Individuals did not cluster based on burial location or unit for either the Gower's or NEFRC analyses. Additionally, rare traits were not clustered in specific burial locations. Females consistently showed greater metric and morphological variation compared to males, reaching statistical significance in mean pairwise difference tests.
Discussion
These results suggest that burial location was not strongly defined by biological kinship units or lineages. Rather, a negotiation of various social identities likely influenced the expression of group membership in mortuary practice. Additionally, Karataş-Semayük likely practiced a bilocal residence pattern with a virilocal bias. The significant incorporation of outside females in the local community and the lack of biologically constrained burial practice may have simultaneously contributed to a cohesive community identity.
{"title":"The Construction of Community at Early Bronze Age Karataş-Semayük, Southwestern Anatolia","authors":"Donovan M. Adams, Marin A. Pilloud, Ali Metin Büyükkarakaya","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The present study seeks to examine biological kinship structures as expressed in mortuary treatment and postmarital residence practices of the Early Bronze Age (c. 3000–2000 BCE) Karataş-Semayük in southwestern Anatolia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dental morphology and metrics of 451 (<i>n</i><sub>female</sub> = 47; <i>n</i><sub>male</sub> = 67) individuals were examined for biological distance analyses. Gower's coefficient of similarity and Non-Euclidean Fuzzy Relational Clustering (NEFRC) were used to examine phenotypic similarities between individuals and associations with burial location. Binomial and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine significant differences in rare traits between burial locations. Mean pairwise differences, diversity indices, and modified signed-likelihood ratio tests for the equality of coefficients of variation examined significant differences in shape and size variation between males and females.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Individuals did not cluster based on burial location or unit for either the Gower's or NEFRC analyses. Additionally, rare traits were not clustered in specific burial locations. Females consistently showed greater metric and morphological variation compared to males, reaching statistical significance in mean pairwise difference tests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These results suggest that burial location was not strongly defined by biological kinship units or lineages. Rather, a negotiation of various social identities likely influenced the expression of group membership in mortuary practice. Additionally, Karataş-Semayük likely practiced a bilocal residence pattern with a virilocal bias. The significant incorporation of outside females in the local community and the lack of biologically constrained burial practice may have simultaneously contributed to a cohesive community identity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Digital tools and imaging are now common practice in biological anthropology research. Ethical concerns around the management, use, and display of digital human remains are a budding topic of discussion. Currently, there are no formalized discipline-wide guidelines or standards for digital ethics in biological anthropology. To bridge the gap between ethical standards and digital practices, we need to gauge current digital tools and resources used by professionals, as well as the state of ethical codes for professional organizations regarding digital media in biological anthropology.
Materials and Methods
This study reviews ethical statements from five professional organizations and survey responses from biological anthropologists on their use and opinions of digital remains. Text analyses were performed on ethics statements to identify terms related to digital remains and on survey responses to identify key themes in opinions of digital ethics.
Results
Results demonstrated that only one organization mentions digital ethics while survey results indicate researchers are creating and using digital tools in their research. Thematic text analyses underline the need for consent, digital ethical guidelines, anonymity, data security, and cultural sensitivity and respect.
Discussion
These results highlight the gap in practice and guidelines for digital ethics. We propose immediate action items, including the development of a cross-cultural, disciplinary working group to generate cohesive digital ethics standards, explicit statements on digital human remains in donor forms, the addition of digital best practice standards into organizations' ethics codes, and ethics statements added to current digital platforms. These proposed ethical guidelines and questions for donor forms are provided for these action items.
{"title":"Toward Ethical Digital Practices: Guidelines for Consent, Accountability, and Transparency in Anthropology","authors":"Amber M. Plemons, Micayla C. Spiros","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70044","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Digital tools and imaging are now common practice in biological anthropology research. Ethical concerns around the management, use, and display of digital human remains are a budding topic of discussion. Currently, there are no formalized discipline-wide guidelines or standards for digital ethics in biological anthropology. To bridge the gap between ethical standards and digital practices, we need to gauge current digital tools and resources used by professionals, as well as the state of ethical codes for professional organizations regarding digital media in biological anthropology.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study reviews ethical statements from five professional organizations and survey responses from biological anthropologists on their use and opinions of digital remains. Text analyses were performed on ethics statements to identify terms related to digital remains and on survey responses to identify key themes in opinions of digital ethics.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Results demonstrated that only one organization mentions digital ethics while survey results indicate researchers are creating and using digital tools in their research. Thematic text analyses underline the need for consent, digital ethical guidelines, anonymity, data security, and cultural sensitivity and respect.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These results highlight the gap in practice and guidelines for digital ethics. We propose immediate action items, including the development of a cross-cultural, disciplinary working group to generate cohesive digital ethics standards, explicit statements on digital human remains in donor forms, the addition of digital best practice standards into organizations' ethics codes, and ethics statements added to current digital platforms. These proposed ethical guidelines and questions for donor forms are provided for these action items.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This research examines the prevalence of chronic maxillary sinusitis in pre-adults from multiple Dutch sites, while also considering the effects of associated risk factors such as time period (i.e., urbanization), living conditions, and socioeconomic status. Our aim was to investigate how different risk factors impacted childhood upper respiratory health throughout the Dutch medieval and Post-medieval periods.
Materials and Methods
We selected 13 sites representative of different time periods (475–1866 CE), living environments (i.e., rural and urban), and socioeconomic status to provide an in-depth overview of past Dutch societies. We macroscopically and endoscopically analyzed the maxillary sinuses of 227 pre-adult individuals to identify paleopathological signs of sinusitis. Adult data on chronic maxillary sinusitis from 11 of these populations were available for comparison.
Results
Statistical analysis revealed that time period had the most noteworthy impact on sinusitis prevalence. Post-medieval pre-adults were nearly three times more likely to develop sinusitis than their early-medieval counterparts, while post-medieval adolescents faced an eightfold increase in risk compared to adolescents from earlier periods. Neither living environment nor socioeconomic status showed a statistically significant effect on sinusitis prevalence.
Discussion
Our findings highlight the interplay of risk factors affecting respiratory health in pre-adults, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the historical burden of respiratory diseases in past populations. Factors such as increased population densities, limited access to resources (e.g., healthcare, nutritious food, and drinking water), and the institutionalization of child labor in the Dutch post-medieval period likely had negative impacts on the respiratory health of pre-adults.
{"title":"Historical Trends and Risk Factors in Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis Among Dutch Pre-Adults (475–1866 CE)","authors":"Maia Casna, Sarah A. Schrader","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This research examines the prevalence of chronic maxillary sinusitis in pre-adults from multiple Dutch sites, while also considering the effects of associated risk factors such as time period (i.e., urbanization), living conditions, and socioeconomic status. Our aim was to investigate how different risk factors impacted childhood upper respiratory health throughout the Dutch medieval and Post-medieval periods.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We selected 13 sites representative of different time periods (475–1866 <span>CE</span>), living environments (i.e., rural and urban), and socioeconomic status to provide an in-depth overview of past Dutch societies. We macroscopically and endoscopically analyzed the maxillary sinuses of 227 pre-adult individuals to identify paleopathological signs of sinusitis. Adult data on chronic maxillary sinusitis from 11 of these populations were available for comparison.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Statistical analysis revealed that time period had the most noteworthy impact on sinusitis prevalence. Post-medieval pre-adults were nearly three times more likely to develop sinusitis than their early-medieval counterparts, while post-medieval adolescents faced an eightfold increase in risk compared to adolescents from earlier periods. Neither living environment nor socioeconomic status showed a statistically significant effect on sinusitis prevalence.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings highlight the interplay of risk factors affecting respiratory health in pre-adults, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the historical burden of respiratory diseases in past populations. Factors such as increased population densities, limited access to resources (e.g., healthcare, nutritious food, and drinking water), and the institutionalization of child labor in the Dutch post-medieval period likely had negative impacts on the respiratory health of pre-adults.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
William D. Aguado, Astri Zulfa, Timothy D. Bransford, Kristana P. Makur, Maria A. van Noordwijk, Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, Erin R. Vogel
Objectives
Temporal variation in food availability can pose nutritional challenges to primates. Characterizing the nutritional content of the non-preferred foods that primates switch to, termed fallback foods, is useful for identifying the nutritional challenges of lean periods, the nutritional limits of what primates can subsist on, and physiological adaptations. We explored the temporal patterning and the nutritional contribution of food items for Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) at Tuanan, Indonesia, with particular attention to the liana, Bowringia callicarpa.
Materials and Methods
We quantified the nutritional contribution of food items to the diet of wild orangutans over 18 years. We modeled the relationship between preferred food availability and the nutritional contribution of Bowringia.
Results
Bowringia played an outsize role in the feeding time and nutritional intake of orangutans. It can be characterized as a fallback food because it is increasingly consumed when preferred tree fruits are less available. Its immature leaves are particularly important as the greatest source of protein and energy. However, the nonprotein energy-to-protein ratio of Bowringia is extremely low, and overreliance on it would bring orangutans away from their estimated nutritional intake target.
Discussion
Despite its high energy and protein content, Bowringia is a nutritionally imbalanced food. Fallback food quality should thus be evaluated based on the ability to bring an animal toward its nutritional goal rather than nutrient density. We propose that orangutans are preadapted to falling back on protein-dense foods and the great abundance of Bowringia has contributed to the high population density of orangutans at Tuanan.
{"title":"Nutritional Importance of a Liana Species for a Population of Bornean Orangutans","authors":"William D. Aguado, Astri Zulfa, Timothy D. Bransford, Kristana P. Makur, Maria A. van Noordwijk, Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, Erin R. Vogel","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70042","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Temporal variation in food availability can pose nutritional challenges to primates. Characterizing the nutritional content of the non-preferred foods that primates switch to, termed fallback foods, is useful for identifying the nutritional challenges of lean periods, the nutritional limits of what primates can subsist on, and physiological adaptations. We explored the temporal patterning and the nutritional contribution of food items for Bornean orangutans (<i>Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii</i>) at Tuanan, Indonesia, with particular attention to the liana, <i>Bowringia callicarpa</i>.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We quantified the nutritional contribution of food items to the diet of wild orangutans over 18 years. We modeled the relationship between preferred food availability and the nutritional contribution of <i>Bowringia</i>.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Bowringia</i> played an outsize role in the feeding time and nutritional intake of orangutans. It can be characterized as a fallback food because it is increasingly consumed when preferred tree fruits are less available. Its immature leaves are particularly important as the greatest source of protein and energy. However, the nonprotein energy-to-protein ratio of <i>Bowringia</i> is extremely low, and overreliance on it would bring orangutans away from their estimated nutritional intake target.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Despite its high energy and protein content, <i>Bowringia</i> is a nutritionally imbalanced food. Fallback food quality should thus be evaluated based on the ability to bring an animal toward its nutritional goal rather than nutrient density. We propose that orangutans are preadapted to falling back on protein-dense foods and the great abundance of <i>Bowringia</i> has contributed to the high population density of orangutans at Tuanan.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70042","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study evaluates the effect of sex on mortality risks in medieval Ireland to advance our understanding of the social, biological, and environmental factors that were deleterious to female health and survival in the past.
Materials and Methods
Data on age-at-death and sex was collected on 335 skeletonized individuals from 10 archaeological sites dating to the early medieval (500–1150 ce) and late medieval (1150–1550 ce) periods in Ireland. Transition analysis (TA2) was used to estimate age-at-death for all individuals with visibly fused pelvic and long bone epiphyses. For all other individuals, age-at-death was estimated using dental development and epiphyseal fusion. Morphological traits of the pelvis and cranium and metric measurements were used to estimate sex. A Gompertz-Makeham hazards model with a proportional hazards specification was used to examine the effect of the sex covariate on mortality risks.
Results
The Gompertz-Makeham hazards model failed to reveal an effect of sex on mortality risks in this context. No significant temporal variation in the effect of sex on the model was observed across sites.
Conclusions
The results failed to find an effect of the sex covariate on the mortality profile using hazards analysis. However, the similar mortality profiles observed between medieval Irish males and females could reflect cultural barriers and/or differential environmental exposures that counteracted the innate female survival advantage observed today.
{"title":"Evaluating the Effect of Sex on Mortality Risks in Medieval Ireland","authors":"Allison C. Ham","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70040","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study evaluates the effect of sex on mortality risks in medieval Ireland to advance our understanding of the social, biological, and environmental factors that were deleterious to female health and survival in the past.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data on age-at-death and sex was collected on 335 skeletonized individuals from 10 archaeological sites dating to the early medieval (500–1150 <span>ce</span>) and late medieval (1150–1550 <span>ce</span>) periods in Ireland. Transition analysis (TA2) was used to estimate age-at-death for all individuals with visibly fused pelvic and long bone epiphyses. For all other individuals, age-at-death was estimated using dental development and epiphyseal fusion. Morphological traits of the pelvis and cranium and metric measurements were used to estimate sex. A Gompertz-Makeham hazards model with a proportional hazards specification was used to examine the effect of the sex covariate on mortality risks.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Gompertz-Makeham hazards model failed to reveal an effect of sex on mortality risks in this context. No significant temporal variation in the effect of sex on the model was observed across sites.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The results failed to find an effect of the sex covariate on the mortality profile using hazards analysis. However, the similar mortality profiles observed between medieval Irish males and females could reflect cultural barriers and/or differential environmental exposures that counteracted the innate female survival advantage observed today.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70040","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143801559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oriol Monclús-Gonzalo, Shubham Pal, Thomas A. Püschel, Alessandro Urciuoli, Víctor Vinuesa, Josep M. Robles, Sergio Almécija, David M. Alba
Objectives
The functional interpretation of postcranial remains of Middle Miocene great apes from Europe (dryopithecines) suggests a combination of quadrupedalism and orthograde behaviors without modern analogs. We provide further insights based on an isolated dryopithecine talus (IPS85037) from the Middle Miocene (11.7 Ma) Abocador de Can Mata locality ACM/C8-B* (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula), which represents the most complete one known to date.
Material and Methods
We compare the specimen with an extant anthropoid sample (n = 68) and the stem hominoid Ekembo heseloni (KMN RU 2036, ~18 Ma, Kenya) using 3D geometric morphometrics. For the two fossil tali, we assess their phenetic affinities using a between-group principal components analysis (bgPCA), estimate body mass based on centroid size, and make locomotor inferences using a partial least-squares regression (PLSR) between talar shape and locomotor repertoire.
Results
Its large inferred body mass (~38 kg) and the possession of several modern hominoid-like features (albeit combined with more plesiomorphic traits) support the attribution of IPS85037 to a male dryopithecine. The bgPCA indicates that IPS85037 falls close to the extant hominoid variation and is less cercopithecoid-like than that of Ekembo, whose inferred locomotor repertoire is vastly dominated by quadrupedalism (81%). In contrast, the locomotor repertoire inferred from IPS85037 combines important quadrupedal (32%) and vertical climbing/clambering (50%) components with only moderate suspension (10%).
Discussion
Our results align with previous inferences derived from other postcranial elements of Middle Miocene dryopithecines and, given their classification as crown hominoids, support the hypothesis that certain suspensory adaptations shared by extant hylobatids and hominids likely evolved independently.
{"title":"A Dryopithecine Talus From Abocador de Can Mata (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula): Morphometric Affinities and Evolutionary Implications for Hominoid Locomotion","authors":"Oriol Monclús-Gonzalo, Shubham Pal, Thomas A. Püschel, Alessandro Urciuoli, Víctor Vinuesa, Josep M. Robles, Sergio Almécija, David M. Alba","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70043","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The functional interpretation of postcranial remains of Middle Miocene great apes from Europe (dryopithecines) suggests a combination of quadrupedalism and orthograde behaviors without modern analogs. We provide further insights based on an isolated dryopithecine talus (IPS85037) from the Middle Miocene (11.7 Ma) Abocador de Can Mata locality ACM/C8-B* (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula), which represents the most complete one known to date.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Material and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We compare the specimen with an extant anthropoid sample (<i>n</i> = 68) and the stem hominoid <i>Ekembo heseloni</i> (KMN RU 2036, ~18 Ma, Kenya) using 3D geometric morphometrics. For the two fossil tali, we assess their phenetic affinities using a between-group principal components analysis (bgPCA), estimate body mass based on centroid size, and make locomotor inferences using a partial least-squares regression (PLSR) between talar shape and locomotor repertoire.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Its large inferred body mass (~38 kg) and the possession of several modern hominoid-like features (albeit combined with more plesiomorphic traits) support the attribution of IPS85037 to a male dryopithecine. The bgPCA indicates that IPS85037 falls close to the extant hominoid variation and is less cercopithecoid-like than that of <i>Ekembo</i>, whose inferred locomotor repertoire is vastly dominated by quadrupedalism (81%). In contrast, the locomotor repertoire inferred from IPS85037 combines important quadrupedal (32%) and vertical climbing/clambering (50%) components with only moderate suspension (10%).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results align with previous inferences derived from other postcranial elements of Middle Miocene dryopithecines and, given their classification as crown hominoids, support the hypothesis that certain suspensory adaptations shared by extant hylobatids and hominids likely evolved independently.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143801561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stefania Sarno, Fedora Piccini, Paolo Abondio, Elisabetta Cilli, Elena M. Kuyumdjian, Nedko A. Dimitrov, Chavdar D. Dilov, Sara De Fanti, Graziella Ciani, Davide Gentilini, Alessio Boattini, Marco Sazzini, Davide Pettener, Donata Luiselli
Objectives
Thanks to its pivotal crossroad position, Bulgaria played a fundamental key role during all the migration processes that interested the continent through time. While the genetic variability of the country has been deeply investigated using uniparental markers, previous genome-wide autosomal-based surveys mainly consisted of wider-range analyzes on Europe and the whole Balkan Peninsula. Here, we specifically focused on the Bulgarian population to recapitulate the main patterns of genomic variation and the major events that shaped the present-day genetic landscape.
Methods
A total of 112 samples from seven highly representative areas of present-day Bulgaria were collected and genotyped for approximately 720 K genome-wide SNPs, and integrated with previously generated genomic data from wide modern and ancient reference panels to explore fine-scale relationship patterns and detail ancestral contributions.
Results
In addition to the combination of ancient ancestries related to the early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers, and Bronze Age Steppe pastoralists, both haplotype-based analyzes on modern populations and the comparisons with ancient genomes suggest the contribution of population processes that have occurred after the Roman rule and during the Medieval period in shaping the current Bulgarian genetic pool.
Conclusions
Our results align with previous evidence highlighting the impact that some historical events may have had not only in contributing to the ethnical and socio-cultural richness of present-day populations, but also in participating in the formation of the current genomic landscape. By providing new data from modern highly-representative samples, this study integrates further research to provide a comprehensive overview of the genetic history of Bulgaria.
研究目的 保加利亚处于十字路口的枢纽位置，在历次涉及欧洲大陆的移民过程中扮演着重要的关键角色。虽然保加利亚的遗传变异已通过单亲标记得到深入研究，但之前基于全基因组常染色体的调查主要是对欧洲和整个巴尔干半岛进行范围更广的分析。在此，我们特别关注保加利亚人口，以重现基因组变异的主要模式和塑造当今遗传景观的主要事件。 方法 我们从现今保加利亚七个极具代表性的地区共采集了 112 个样本，对其中约 720 K 个全基因组 SNP 进行了基因分型，并将其与之前从广泛的现代和古代参考面板中生成的基因组数据进行整合，以探索精细的关系模式并详细了解祖先的贡献。 结果 除了与中石器时代早期的狩猎采集者、新石器时代的农民和青铜时代的草原牧民有关的古代祖先组合之外，基于单倍型的现代人群分析以及与古代基因组的比较都表明，罗马统治之后和中世纪时期发生的人口迁移过程对当前保加利亚基因库的形成做出了贡献。 结论 我们的研究结果与之前的研究结果一致，都强调了一些历史事件可能不仅对当今人口的种族和社会文化丰富性产生了影响，而且还参与了当前基因组景观的形成。通过提供来自现代高代表性样本的新数据，本研究整合了进一步的研究，为保加利亚的遗传史提供了一个全面的概览。
{"title":"The Genetic Variability of Present-Day Bulgarians Captures Ancient and Recent Ancestral Contributions","authors":"Stefania Sarno, Fedora Piccini, Paolo Abondio, Elisabetta Cilli, Elena M. Kuyumdjian, Nedko A. Dimitrov, Chavdar D. Dilov, Sara De Fanti, Graziella Ciani, Davide Gentilini, Alessio Boattini, Marco Sazzini, Davide Pettener, Donata Luiselli","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Thanks to its pivotal crossroad position, Bulgaria played a fundamental key role during all the migration processes that interested the continent through time. While the genetic variability of the country has been deeply investigated using uniparental markers, previous genome-wide autosomal-based surveys mainly consisted of wider-range analyzes on Europe and the whole Balkan Peninsula. Here, we specifically focused on the Bulgarian population to recapitulate the main patterns of genomic variation and the major events that shaped the present-day genetic landscape.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 112 samples from seven highly representative areas of present-day Bulgaria were collected and genotyped for approximately 720 K genome-wide SNPs, and integrated with previously generated genomic data from wide modern and ancient reference panels to explore fine-scale relationship patterns and detail ancestral contributions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In addition to the combination of ancient ancestries related to the early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers, and Bronze Age Steppe pastoralists, both haplotype-based analyzes on modern populations and the comparisons with ancient genomes suggest the contribution of population processes that have occurred after the Roman rule and during the Medieval period in shaping the current Bulgarian genetic pool.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results align with previous evidence highlighting the impact that some historical events may have had not only in contributing to the ethnical and socio-cultural richness of present-day populations, but also in participating in the formation of the current genomic landscape. By providing new data from modern highly-representative samples, this study integrates further research to provide a comprehensive overview of the genetic history of Bulgaria.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143801457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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