T L Kivell
Biographic Data
| ID | 54227 |
|---|---|
| NAME | T L Kivell |
| GIVEN NAMES | T L |
| FAMILY NAME | Kivell |
| SIGNATURE | KIVELL T L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5087-0897 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 38 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 244 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 38 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2007 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Trabecular structure of the proximal and distal ulna in extant primates
Trabecular bone (re)models in response to localized mechanical loading, potentially enabling inferences about the positional behavior of extinct taxa. However, the trabecular architecture of the ulna remains understudied in extant primates, particularly regarding whether it reflects habitual joint posture and loading. Across a broad sample of anthropoid primates, including apes, atelids, and cercopithecoids, we quantified the relative bone volume…
Wild bonobos experience unusually low bone resorption during early lactation relative to humans and other mammals
In mammals, pregnancy and lactation are marked by maternal calcium stress and bone resorption, leading to reduced bone mineral density. In humans, these periods may partly explain the higher prevalence of osteoporosis in older women compared with men, but lactation patterns in modern humans may reflect cultural influences rather than natural conditions. The extent to which these findings apply to wild-living mammals remains unknown. We measured u…
A helping hand: Investigating 3D motion of human hand bones during Palaeolithic tool behaviours
The morphological configuration of the wrist of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals has traditionally been interpreted as biomechanically advantageous for frequent lithic tool use and production. However, this interpretation remains to be demonstrated. We present a proof of concept study that is the first to investigate the 3D kinematics of the hand bones of modern humans during in vivo simulated Palaeolithic tool behaviours. We used the bi-planar X-ra…
Challenges and perspectives on functional interpretations of australopith postcrania and the reconstruction of hominin locomotion
Calcar femorale variation in extant and fossil hominids: Implications for identifying bipedal locomotion in fossil hominins
Recherche des interactions entre forme et fonction de la main chez les humains actuels dans la perspective de mieux apprécier l'évolution de la dextérité humaine
La main humaine a changé de forme et de fonction tout au long de notre évolution en raison, entre autres, de la bipédie terrestre, de l’utilisation d’outils et de l’asymétrie directionnelle telle que la préférence manuelle. Cependant, nous manquons d’informations sur la variabilité potentielle des facteurs clés pouvant affecter la force de préhension et la dextérité, en particulier la taille, la forme et la fonction quotidienne de la main. Nous a…
Kinetics of stone tool production among novice and expert tool makers
OBJECTIVES: As is the case among many complex motor tasks that require prolonged practice before achieving expertise, aspects of the biomechanics of knapping vary according to the relative experience/skill level of the practitioner. In archaeological experiments focused on the production of Plio-Pleistocene stone tools, these skill-mediated biomechanical differences have bearings on experimental design, the interpretation of results, and lithic a…
Homo naledi pollical metacarpal shaft morphology is distinctive and intermediate between that of australopiths and other members of the genus Homo
Trabecular variation in the first metacarpal and manipulation in hominids
OBJECTIVES: The dexterity of fossil hominins is often inferred by assessing the comparative manual anatomy and behaviors of extant hominids, with a focus on the thumb. The aim of this study is to test whether trabecular structure is consistent with what is currently known about habitually loaded thumb postures across extant hominids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyze first metacarpal (Mc1) subarticular trabecular architecture in humans (Homo sapi…
Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the first metacarpal distal articular surface in humans, great apes and fossil hominins
Homo sapiens in Arabia by 85,000 years ago
Trabecular architecture and joint loading of the proximal humerus in extant hominoids, Ateles , and Australopithecus africanus
OBJECTIVES: Several studies have investigated potential functional signals in the trabecular structure of the primate proximal humerus but with varied success. Here, we apply for the first time a "whole-epiphyses" approach to analysing trabecular bone in the humeral head with the aim of providing a more holistic interpretation of trabecular variation in relation to habitual locomotor or manipulative behaviors in several extant primates and Austra…
Ontogeny and variability of trabecular bone in the chimpanzee humerus, femur and tibia
OBJECTIVES: Trabecular bone structure is known to be influenced by joint loading during life. However, many additional variables have the potential to contribute to trabecular bone structure of an adult individual, including age, sex, body size, genetics, and overall activity level. There is little research into intraspecific variability in trabecular bone and ontogeny of trabecular bone structure, especially in nonhuman primates. MATERIALS AND M…
Trabecular bone patterning across the human hand
Hand grip diversity and frequency during the use of Lower Palaeolithic stone cutting-tools
New Neandertal wrist bones from El Sidrón, Spain (1994-2009)
The manual pressures of stone tool behaviors and their implications for the evolution of the human hand
The impact of hand proportions on tool grip abilities in humans, great apes and fossil hominins: A biomechanical analysis using musculoskeletal simulation
New fossil remains of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber, South Africa
The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional …
Nut‐cracking behaviour in wild‐born, rehabilitated bonobos ( Pan paniscus ): A comprehensive study of hand‐preference, hand grips and efficiency
There has been an enduring interest in primate tool-use and manipulative abilities, most often with the goal of providing insight into the evolution of human manual dexterity, right-hand preference, and what behaviours make humans unique. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are arguably the most well-studied tool-users amongst non-human primates, and are particularly well-known for their complex nut-cracking behaviour, which has been documented in seve…
Trabecular and cortical bone structure of the talus and distal tibia in Pan and Homo
OBJECTIVES: Internal bone structure, both cortical and trabecular bone, remodels in response to loading and may provide important information regarding behavior. The foot is well suited to analysis of internal bone structure because it experiences the initial substrate reaction forces, due to its proximity to the substrate. Moreover, as humans and apes differ in loading of the foot, this region is relevant to questions concerning arboreal locomot…
Comparison of hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei ) and chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
OBJECTIVES: Studies on grasping and limb posture during arboreal locomotion in great apes in their natural environment are scarce and thus, attempts to correlate behavioral and habitat differences with variation in morphology are limited. The aim of this study is to compare hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in wild, habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to…
A review of trabecular bone functional adaptation: What have we learned from trabecular analyses in extant hominoids and what can we apply to fossils?
Many of the unresolved debates in palaeoanthropology regarding evolution of particular locomotor or manipulative behaviours are founded in differing opinions about the functional significance of the preserved external fossil morphology. However, the plasticity of internal bone morphology, and particularly trabecular bone, allowing it to respond to mechanical loading during life means that it can reveal greater insight into how a bone or joint was…
Gait characteristics and spatio‐temporal variables of climbing in bonobos ( Pan paniscus )
Although much is known about the terrestrial locomotion of great apes, their arboreal locomotion has been studied less extensively. This study investigates arboreal locomotion in bonobos (Pan paniscus), focusing on the gait characteristics and spatio-temporal variables associated with locomotion on a pole. These features are compared across different substrate inclinations (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°), and horizontal quadrupedal walking is compar…
Trabecular architecture in the thumb of Pan and Homo: Implications for investigating hand use, loading, and hand preference in the fossil record
OBJECTIVES: Humans display an 85-95% cross-cultural right-hand bias in skilled tasks, which is considered a derived behavior because such a high frequency is not reported in wild non-human primates. Handedness is generally considered to be an evolutionary byproduct of selection for manual dexterity and augmented visuo-cognitive capabilities within the context of complex stone tool manufacture/use. Testing this hypothesis requires an understanding…
Hand grip diversity and frequency during the use of Lower Palaeolithic stone cutting-tools
The manual pressures of stone tool behaviors and their implications for the evolution of the human hand
Scaling VOI size in 3D μCT studies of trabecular bone: A test of the over‐sampling hypothesis
For comparative 3D μCT studies of trabecular bone, the use of a volume of interest (VOI) scaled to body size may avoid over‐sampling the trabecular mass in smaller versus larger‐bodied taxa and comparison of regions that are not functionally homologous (Fajardo and Müller: Am J Phys Anthropol 115 ( 2001 ) 327–336), though the influence on quantitative analyses using scaled versus nonscaled VOIs remains poorly characterized. We compare trabecular …
Microtomographic archive of fossil hominin specimens from Kromdraai B, South Africa
Trabecular bone patterning across the human hand
Trabecular architecture in the thumb of Pan and Homo: Implications for investigating hand use, loading, and hand preference in the fossil record
OBJECTIVES: Humans display an 85-95% cross-cultural right-hand bias in skilled tasks, which is considered a derived behavior because such a high frequency is not reported in wild non-human primates. Handedness is generally considered to be an evolutionary byproduct of selection for manual dexterity and augmented visuo-cognitive capabilities within the context of complex stone tool manufacture/use. Testing this hypothesis requires an understanding…
Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the first metacarpal distal articular surface in humans, great apes and fossil hominins
Trabecular and cortical bone structure of the talus and distal tibia in Pan and Homo
OBJECTIVES: Internal bone structure, both cortical and trabecular bone, remodels in response to loading and may provide important information regarding behavior. The foot is well suited to analysis of internal bone structure because it experiences the initial substrate reaction forces, due to its proximity to the substrate. Moreover, as humans and apes differ in loading of the foot, this region is relevant to questions concerning arboreal locomot…
Comparison of hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei ) and chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
OBJECTIVES: Studies on grasping and limb posture during arboreal locomotion in great apes in their natural environment are scarce and thus, attempts to correlate behavioral and habitat differences with variation in morphology are limited. The aim of this study is to compare hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in wild, habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to…
Ontogeny and variability of trabecular bone in the chimpanzee humerus, femur and tibia
OBJECTIVES: Trabecular bone structure is known to be influenced by joint loading during life. However, many additional variables have the potential to contribute to trabecular bone structure of an adult individual, including age, sex, body size, genetics, and overall activity level. There is little research into intraspecific variability in trabecular bone and ontogeny of trabecular bone structure, especially in nonhuman primates. MATERIALS AND M…
Homo naledi pollical metacarpal shaft morphology is distinctive and intermediate between that of australopiths and other members of the genus Homo
Trabecular variation in the first metacarpal and manipulation in hominids
OBJECTIVES: The dexterity of fossil hominins is often inferred by assessing the comparative manual anatomy and behaviors of extant hominids, with a focus on the thumb. The aim of this study is to test whether trabecular structure is consistent with what is currently known about habitually loaded thumb postures across extant hominids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyze first metacarpal (Mc1) subarticular trabecular architecture in humans (Homo sapi…
The impact of hand proportions on tool grip abilities in humans, great apes and fossil hominins: A biomechanical analysis using musculoskeletal simulation
Knuckle-walking in Sivapithecus? The combined effects of homology and homoplasy with possible implications for pongine dispersals
New primate carpal bones from Rudabánya (late Miocene, Hungary): Taxonomic and Functional Implications
Challenges and perspectives on functional interpretations of australopith postcrania and the reconstruction of hominin locomotion
Kinetics of stone tool production among novice and expert tool makers
OBJECTIVES: As is the case among many complex motor tasks that require prolonged practice before achieving expertise, aspects of the biomechanics of knapping vary according to the relative experience/skill level of the practitioner. In archaeological experiments focused on the production of Plio-Pleistocene stone tools, these skill-mediated biomechanical differences have bearings on experimental design, the interpretation of results, and lithic a…
Micro-finite element (μFE) modeling of the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) third proximal phalanx: The functional role of curvature and the flexor sheath ridge
Frequency and timing of scaphoid-centrale fusion in hominoids
Trabecular architecture and joint loading of the proximal humerus in extant hominoids, Ateles , and Australopithecus africanus
OBJECTIVES: Several studies have investigated potential functional signals in the trabecular structure of the primate proximal humerus but with varied success. Here, we apply for the first time a "whole-epiphyses" approach to analysing trabecular bone in the humeral head with the aim of providing a more holistic interpretation of trabecular variation in relation to habitual locomotor or manipulative behaviors in several extant primates and Austra…
New Neandertal wrist bones from El Sidrón, Spain (1994-2009)
Grasping in primates: For Feeding, Moving and Human Specificities
For a long time, humans (genus Homo) were thought to be the only mammalian species capable of dextrous manual grasping. However, grasping is widespread among tetrapods, and among primates, it is associated with a wide range of morphological, dietary and locomotor variation. From an evolutionary perspective, this prompts several questions: is the origin and evolution of grasping in primates derived from requirements associated primarily with feedi…
Calcar femorale variation in extant and fossil hominids: Implications for identifying bipedal locomotion in fossil hominins
Within arm's reach: Measuring forearm length to assess growth patterns in captive bonobos and chimpanzees
OBJECTIVES: Bonobos and chimpanzees are known to differ in various morphological traits, a dichotomy that is sometimes used as an analogy for evolutionary splits during human evolution. The aim of our study was to measure the forearm length of immature and adult bonobos and adult chimpanzees to assess the extent of age-related changes of forearm length in bonobos and sex-dimorphism in bonobos and chimpanzees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As a proxy of …
Frequency and timing of scaphoid-centrale fusion in hominoids
Independent evolution of knuckle-walking in African apes shows that humans did not evolve from a knuckle-walking ancestor
Despite decades of debate, it remains unclear whether human bipedalism evolved from a terrestrial knuckle-walking ancestor or from a more generalized, arboreal ape ancestor. Proponents of the knuckle-walking hypothesis focused on the wrist and hand to find morphological evidence of this behavior in the human fossil record. These studies, however, have not examined variation or development of purported knuckle-walking features in apes or other pri…
New primate carpal bones from Rudabánya (late Miocene, Hungary): Taxonomic and Functional Implications
Australopithecus sediba Hand Demonstrates Mosaic Evolution of Locomotor and Manipulative Abilities
The hand of Australopithecus sediba , a rare example in the hominid fossil record, shows short fingers and a long thumb consistent with improved precision gripping while retaining strength for climbing.
Scaling VOI size in 3D μCT studies of trabecular bone: A test of the over‐sampling hypothesis
For comparative 3D μCT studies of trabecular bone, the use of a volume of interest (VOI) scaled to body size may avoid over‐sampling the trabecular mass in smaller versus larger‐bodied taxa and comparison of regions that are not functionally homologous (Fajardo and Müller: Am J Phys Anthropol 115 ( 2001 ) 327–336), though the influence on quantitative analyses using scaled versus nonscaled VOIs remains poorly characterized. We compare trabecular …
Knuckle-walking in Sivapithecus? The combined effects of homology and homoplasy with possible implications for pongine dispersals
Microtomographic archive of fossil hominin specimens from Kromdraai B, South Africa
Micro-finite element (μFE) modeling of the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) third proximal phalanx: The functional role of curvature and the flexor sheath ridge
Grasping in primates: For Feeding, Moving and Human Specificities
For a long time, humans (genus Homo) were thought to be the only mammalian species capable of dextrous manual grasping. However, grasping is widespread among tetrapods, and among primates, it is associated with a wide range of morphological, dietary and locomotor variation. From an evolutionary perspective, this prompts several questions: is the origin and evolution of grasping in primates derived from requirements associated primarily with feedi…
Human-like hand use in Australopithecus africanus
Getting a grip The evolution of the hand—particularly the opposable thumb—was key to the success of early humans. Without a precise grip, involving forceful opposition of thumb with fingers, tool technology could not have emerged. Skinner et al. analyzed the internal bone structure of Pliocene Australopithecus hands, dated at 3.2 million years old. Internal bone structure reveals the patterns and directions of forces operating on the hand, provid…
Recent origin of low trabecular bone density in modern humans
Significance The human skeleton is unique in having low trabecular density representing a lightly built human body form. However, it remains unknown when during human evolution this unique characteristic first appeared. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine trabecular bone density throughout the skeleton of fossil hominins spanning several million years. The results show that trabecular density remained high throughout human evolut…
The hand of Homo naledi
A nearly complete right hand of an adult hominin was recovered from the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Based on associated hominin material, the bones of this hand are attributed to Homo naledi . This hand reveals a long, robust thumb and derived wrist morphology that is shared with Neandertals and modern humans, and considered adaptive for intensified manual manipulation. However, the finger bones are longer and more curved than in most …
A review of trabecular bone functional adaptation: What have we learned from trabecular analyses in extant hominoids and what can we apply to fossils?
Many of the unresolved debates in palaeoanthropology regarding evolution of particular locomotor or manipulative behaviours are founded in differing opinions about the functional significance of the preserved external fossil morphology. However, the plasticity of internal bone morphology, and particularly trabecular bone, allowing it to respond to mechanical loading during life means that it can reveal greater insight into how a bone or joint was…
Gait characteristics and spatio‐temporal variables of climbing in bonobos ( Pan paniscus )
Although much is known about the terrestrial locomotion of great apes, their arboreal locomotion has been studied less extensively. This study investigates arboreal locomotion in bonobos (Pan paniscus), focusing on the gait characteristics and spatio-temporal variables associated with locomotion on a pole. These features are compared across different substrate inclinations (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°), and horizontal quadrupedal walking is compar…
Trabecular architecture in the thumb of Pan and Homo: Implications for investigating hand use, loading, and hand preference in the fossil record
OBJECTIVES: Humans display an 85-95% cross-cultural right-hand bias in skilled tasks, which is considered a derived behavior because such a high frequency is not reported in wild non-human primates. Handedness is generally considered to be an evolutionary byproduct of selection for manual dexterity and augmented visuo-cognitive capabilities within the context of complex stone tool manufacture/use. Testing this hypothesis requires an understanding…
Within arm's reach: Measuring forearm length to assess growth patterns in captive bonobos and chimpanzees
OBJECTIVES: Bonobos and chimpanzees are known to differ in various morphological traits, a dichotomy that is sometimes used as an analogy for evolutionary splits during human evolution. The aim of our study was to measure the forearm length of immature and adult bonobos and adult chimpanzees to assess the extent of age-related changes of forearm length in bonobos and sex-dimorphism in bonobos and chimpanzees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As a proxy of …
New fossil remains of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber, South Africa
The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional …
Nut‐cracking behaviour in wild‐born, rehabilitated bonobos ( Pan paniscus ): A comprehensive study of hand‐preference, hand grips and efficiency
There has been an enduring interest in primate tool-use and manipulative abilities, most often with the goal of providing insight into the evolution of human manual dexterity, right-hand preference, and what behaviours make humans unique. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are arguably the most well-studied tool-users amongst non-human primates, and are particularly well-known for their complex nut-cracking behaviour, which has been documented in seve…
Trabecular and cortical bone structure of the talus and distal tibia in Pan and Homo
OBJECTIVES: Internal bone structure, both cortical and trabecular bone, remodels in response to loading and may provide important information regarding behavior. The foot is well suited to analysis of internal bone structure because it experiences the initial substrate reaction forces, due to its proximity to the substrate. Moreover, as humans and apes differ in loading of the foot, this region is relevant to questions concerning arboreal locomot…
Comparison of hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei ) and chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
OBJECTIVES: Studies on grasping and limb posture during arboreal locomotion in great apes in their natural environment are scarce and thus, attempts to correlate behavioral and habitat differences with variation in morphology are limited. The aim of this study is to compare hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in wild, habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to…
Homo sapiens in Arabia by 85,000 years ago
Trabecular architecture and joint loading of the proximal humerus in extant hominoids, Ateles , and Australopithecus africanus
OBJECTIVES: Several studies have investigated potential functional signals in the trabecular structure of the primate proximal humerus but with varied success. Here, we apply for the first time a "whole-epiphyses" approach to analysing trabecular bone in the humeral head with the aim of providing a more holistic interpretation of trabecular variation in relation to habitual locomotor or manipulative behaviors in several extant primates and Austra…
Ontogeny and variability of trabecular bone in the chimpanzee humerus, femur and tibia
OBJECTIVES: Trabecular bone structure is known to be influenced by joint loading during life. However, many additional variables have the potential to contribute to trabecular bone structure of an adult individual, including age, sex, body size, genetics, and overall activity level. There is little research into intraspecific variability in trabecular bone and ontogeny of trabecular bone structure, especially in nonhuman primates. MATERIALS AND M…
Trabecular bone patterning across the human hand
Hand grip diversity and frequency during the use of Lower Palaeolithic stone cutting-tools
Biology (33 works) · Primate Behavior and Ecology (27 works) · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology (25 works) · Anatomy (23 works) · Evolutionary biology (23 works) · Paleontology (22 works) · Anatomy (19 works) · Paleontology (15 works) · Geography (14 works) · Biological evolution (13 works)