Testing the second Australopithecine species hypothesis for the South African site of Sterkfontein: geometric morphometric analysis of maxillary molar teeth
Date
2010-03-17T08:08:43Z
Authors
Fornai, Cinzia
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Abstract
The morphological variability of the australopithecine fossil record from Sterkfontein Member 4, generally regarded as Australopithecus africanus, has been interpreted in various ways by different authors. However, R. J. Clarke originally put forward the hypothesis that such variability can be explained with the occurrence of a distinct and new Australopithecus species showing notable affinities with Paranthropus.
Focusing on the study of maxillary molar morphology, through the geometric morphometric analysis of data gathered from three-dimensional virtual images from CT-scanning, the aim of this project was to establish a new methodology for the study of hominid dentition, with the particular goal of contributing to the issue of Clarke’s “second australopithecine species hypothesis” for Sterkfontein Member 4 site.
The methods applied have been demonstrated to be statistically valid. Likewise, the procedure for landmark collection has been shown to be repeatable.
The results obtained have provided further information with regard to the variability of the South African Plio-Pleistocene hominids attributed to the genera Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Homo, as shown by their maxillary molars. Most importantly the research supports, with new evidence, the hypothesis of the occurrence of a second australopithecine species in Sterkfontein Member 4.