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Title Hominin postcranial remains from Sterkfontein, South Africa, 1936-1995 / edited by Bernhard Zipfel, Brian G. Richmond, and Carol V. Ward
Published New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2020]

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Description 1 online resource (xix, 367 pages) : illustrations (some color), maps
Series Human evolution series
Human evolution series.
Contents Preface / Carol V. Ward, Brian G. Richmond, Bernhard Zipfel -- Introductory remarks to the Workshop on Sterkfontein Postcranial Fossils / Philip V. Tobias -- A summary of the history of exploration at the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site / Francis Thackeray -- The geological setting, cave formation, and stratigraphy of the fossil bearing deposits at Sterkfontein Caves Dominic Stratford -- A new multidisciplinary age of 2.61 -- 2.07 Ma for the Sterkfontein Member 4 australopiths Robyn Pickering / Andy I.R. Herries -- The alpha taxonomy of Australopithecus at Sterkfontein : the postcranial evidence / Frederick E. Grine -- The partial skeletons / Carol V. Ward, Martin Haeusler, Bernhard Zipfel -- Scapula, clavicle, and proximal humerus / David J. Green -- Distal humerus / Michael R. Lague, Colin G. Menter -- Ulna and radius / Michelle S. M. Drapeau, Colin G. Menter -- Carpals / Matthew W. Tocheri, Job Kibii -- Metacarpals & manual phalanges / Tracy L. Kivell, Kelly Ostrofsky, Brian G. Richmond, Michelle Drapeau -- Thoracolumbar vertebrae and ribs / Carol V. Ward, Burt Rosenman, Bruce Latimer, Shahed Nalla -- Pelvis / Martin Haeusler, Christopher B. Ruff -- Femur / Jeremy M. Desilva, Mark Grabowski -- Tibia and fibula / Kristian J. Carlson, Bernhard Zipfel, William Jungers -- Tarsals / Tea Jashashvili, Kristian J. Carlson, Ronald J. Clarke -- Metatarsals and pedal phalanges / Bernhard Zipfel, Roshna Wunderlich -- Long bone cross-sectional geometry / Christopher B. Ruff, Ryan W. Higgins, Kristian J. Carlson -- Limb proportions and positional behavior : Revisiting the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of locomotor reconstruction in Australopithecus africanus / Adam D. Gordon, David J. Green, William L. Jungers, Brian G. Richmond -- Summary and Synthesis / Carol V. Ward, Bernhard Zipfel
Summary The Sterkfontein hominin fossils generally are attributed to the species Australopithecus africanus, because most craniodental remains from the site are attributable to that taxon (reviews in Grine, 2013, 2019). However, there may be more than one hominin represented within the sample, even within the most productive Member, Member 4, and given the complex stratigraphy of the site and challenges in dating the deposits, this may or not may be the case. In general. Several studies have suggested the presence of two or more australopith taxon within the sample, each citing more morphological variation among the craniodental remains from Sterkfontein that can be attributed to a single species, at least compared to extant hominoid taxa (Kimbel and White, 1988; Clarke 1988, 1994; Lockwood, 1997, Lockwood and Tobias, 2002). However, it is notable that none of these studies agree on which specimens comprise the different possible taxa or groups, largely due to emphasis on different aspects of morphology varying among the fossils. The likely time depth of the Sterkfontein sample, even within Member 4, (see Chapter 3, this volume), may also complicate assessment of potential taxonomic heterogeneity at the site. None of the Sterkfontein postcranial fossils can be definitively associated with any craniodental specimens (but see Thackeray et al., 2002), and so cannot be related directly to any of the proposed taxonomic divisions within the sample. However, some studies have cited variation within the postcranial fossils that may also reflect taxonomic variation, although many studies to date have not tackled this question rigorously. Even though these suggestions have been made occasionally in the literature, no clear or consistent suggestion of two or more taxa has been apparent within the postcranial samples (reviewed in Grine 2019). Taxonomic variation is one of the key questions that each chapter in this volume addresses (summarized in Chapter 18, this volume)"-- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on June 17, 2020)
Subject Australopithecines -- South Africa -- Sterkfontein Caves
Fossil hominids -- South Africa -- Sterkfontein Caves
Paleoanthropology.
paleoanthropology.
Australopithecines
Fossil hominids
Paleoanthropology
South Africa -- Sterkfontein Caves
Form Electronic book
Author Zipfel, Bernhard, editor.
Richmond, Brian, editor.
Ward, Carol V., editor.
LC no. 2019041499
ISBN 9780197507674
0197507670
0197507689
9780197507698
0197507697
9780197507681