Neurocranial evolution in modern humans

The case of Jebel Irhoud 1

Bibliographic Data

ID6135527
AuthorsE Bruner (0000-0002-6686-4616, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, corresponding author), O M Pearson (0000-0002-1814-7663, University of New Mexico), Osbjorn Pearson (0000-0001-9877-6509, University of New Mexico)
Year2012
Volume121
Issue1
Pages31-41
Publication date2012-12-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnthropological Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0918-7960 • E-ISSN: 1348-8570
PublisherAnthropological Society of Nippon (PUBLISHER • JP)
DOI10.1537/ase.120927
OpenAlexW2029507637
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited55

Jebel Irhoud 1 represents an almost complete cranium from the North African late Middle Pleistocene. Despite the good preservation of most of its anatomical regions, its phylogenetic position is still uncertain, particularly its relationship to the emergence of the modern human lineage. The present paper supplies a basic morphometric description and comparison of the endocast of Jebel Irhoud 1. The endocast's maximum width is large when compared with the hemispheric length, with values similar to those of Neandertals. Conversely, the frontal width is less pronounced, showing proportions compatible with modern and non-modern human taxa. The vertical proportions are similar to those displayed by Homo erectus, while the lateral proportions are comparable to Neandertals. Furthermore, the upper parietal areas show a certain parasagittal lateral bulging, as in European Neandertals. It remains to be established if this trait evolved independently in both the Neandertal and modern human lineages, or if it was already present in a common ancestor of these two groups. Given that Jebel Irhoud 1 in North Africa and Herto in East Africa have similar geological age, similar facial morphology, but different vault proportions, it seems likely that the origin of the modern human lineage may have predated the origin of many aspects of the modern human brain

Biological evolution · Biology · Crania · Endocast · Evolutionary biology · Hominidae · Homo erectus · Human evolution · Lineage (genetic · Out of africa · Paleoanthropology · Pleistocene · Skull · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Morphological variations and asymmetry · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Anatomy · Paleontology

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