The body weight of AL 288‐1 (‘Lucy)

A new approach using estimates of skeletal length and the body mass index

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7809664
AutoresAlan M W Porter, Alan Porter (0000-0001-5622-7288, autor de correspondencia)
Año1995
Volumen5
Número3
Páginas203-212
Fecha de publicación1995-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.1390050302
OpenAlexW2073956704
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas11
Referencias citadas39

A method of estimating the body mass of hominids by use of the skeletal length and physique index is described. The body mass indices (BMI) of female humans and female chimpanzees are known and this permits an estimate of the probable BMI for the female common ancestor and thus for female morphs intermediate between the common ancestor and modern humans. AL288‐1 (‘Lucy’) probably had a BMI of about 22.3 kg m −2 and for a height of 105cm this yields a body weight estimate of about 25 kg. Body weight estimates of 28–29 kg would imply a body mass index similar to female chimps and are improbable. These conclusions will be compromised if the chimp–gorilla–homo phylogenetic relationship proves to be a trichotomy rather than a chimp–homo dichotomy

Ancestor · Biology · Body height · Body mass index · Body proportions · Body weight · Gene · Geography · Geometry · Gorilla · Most recent common ancestor · Phylogenetic tree · Demography · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Mathematics · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Primate Behavior and Ecology · Endocrinology · Genetics · Paleontology · Physiology