The endocranial shape of Australopithecus africanus: surface analysis of the endocasts of Sts 5 and Sts 60

dc.contributor.authorBeaudet, Amelie
dc.contributor.authorDumoncel, Jean
dc.contributor.authorDe Beer, Frikkie
dc.contributor.authorDurrleman, Stanley
dc.contributor.authorGilissen, Emmanuel
dc.contributor.authorOettle, Anna Catherina
dc.contributor.authorSubsol, Gerard
dc.contributor.authorThackeray, John Francis
dc.contributor.authorBraga, Jose
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-08T12:55:28Z
dc.date.issued2018-02
dc.description.abstractAssessment of global endocranial morphology and regional neuroanatomical changes in early hominins is critical for the reconstruction of evolutionary trajectories of cerebral regions in the human lineage. Early evidence of cortical reorganization in specific local areas (e.g. visual cortex, inferior frontal gyrus) is perceptible in the non-human South African hominin fossil record. However, to date, little information is available regarding potential global changes in the early hominin brain. The introduction of non-invasive imaging techniques opens up new perspectives for the study of hominin brain evolution. In this context, our primary aim in this study is to explore the organization of the Australopithecus africanus endocasts, and highlight the nature and extent of the differences distinguishing A. africanus from the extant hominids at both local and global scales. By means of X-ray-based imaging techniques, we investigate two A. africanus specimens from Sterkfontein Member 4, catalogued as Sts 5 and Sts 60, respectively a complete cranium and a partial cranial endocast. Endocrania were virtually reconstructed and compared by using a landmark-free registration method based on smooth and invertible surface deformation. Both local and global information provided by our deformation-based approach are used to perform statistical analyses and topological mapping of inter-specific variation. Statistical analyses indicate that the endocranial shape of Sts 5 and Sts 60 approximates the Pan condition. Furthermore, our study reveals substantial differences with respect to the extant human condition, particularly in the parietal regions. Compared with Pan, the endocranial shape of the fossil specimens differs in the anterior part of the frontal gyri.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentAnatomyen_ZA
dc.description.embargo2019-02-20
dc.description.librarianhj2018en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe AESOP+ program, the Center of Research and Higher Education (PRES) of Toulouse, the Midi-Pyrenees Region, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Dep artment of Science and Technology (DST) of South Africa.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1469-7580en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBeaudet, A., Dumoncel, J., de Beer, F., Durrleman, S., Gilissen, E., Oettlé, A., Subsol, G., Thackeray, J. F. and Braga, J. (2018), The endocranial shape of Australopithecus africanus: surface analysis of the endocasts of Sts 5 and Sts 60. J. Anat., 232: 296–303. doi:10.1111/joa.12745.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0021-8782 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1469-7580 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1111/joa.12745
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/63900
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherWileyen_ZA
dc.rights© 2017 Anatomical Society. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article : The endocranial shape of Australopithecus africanus: surface analysis of the endocasts of Sts 5 and Sts 60. J. Anat., 232: 296–303, 2017, doi : 10.1111/joa.12745. The definite version is available at : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.comjournal/10.1111/(ISSN)1469-7580.en_ZA
dc.subjectDeformation-based modelsen_ZA
dc.subjectEndocasten_ZA
dc.subjectHomininen_ZA
dc.subjectPaleoneurologyen_ZA
dc.subjectSterkfonteinen_ZA
dc.subject.otherHealth sciences articles SDG-03
dc.subject.otherSDG-03: Good health and well-being
dc.subject.otherHealth sciences articles SDG-04
dc.subject.otherSDG-04: Quality education
dc.subject.otherHealth sciences articles SDG-15
dc.subject.otherSDG-15: Life on land
dc.titleThe endocranial shape of Australopithecus africanus: surface analysis of the endocasts of Sts 5 and Sts 60en_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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