Affiliation:
1. Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Canterbury UK
2. Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics TU Wien Vienna Austria
3. Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics, Division Biomechanics Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Krems Austria
4. Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
Abstract
AbstractObjectivesRecent studies have associated subarticular trabecular bone distribution in the extant hominid first metacarpal (Mc1) with observed thumb use, to infer fossil hominin thumb use. Here, we analyze the entire Mc1 to test for interspecific differences in: (1) the absolute volume of trabecular volume fraction, (2) the distribution of the deeper trabecular network, and (3) the distribution of trabeculae in the medullary cavity, especially beneath the Mc1 disto‐radial flange.Materials and MethodsTrabecular bone was imaged using micro‐computed tomography in a sample of Homo sapiens (n = 11), Pan paniscus (n = 10), Pan troglodytes (n = 11), Gorilla gorilla (n = 10) and Pongo sp., (n = 7). Using Canonical Holistic Morphometric Analysis (cHMA), we tested for interspecific differences in the trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and its relative distribution (rBV/TV) throughout the Mc1, including within the head, medullary cavity, and base.ResultsP. paniscus had the highest, and H. sapiens the lowest, BV/TV relative to other species. rBV/TV distribution statistically distinguished the radial concentrations and lack of medullary trabecular bone in the H. sapiens Mc1 from all other hominids. H. sapiens and, to a lesser extent, G. gorilla also had a significantly higher trabecular volume beneath the disto‐radial flange relative to other hominids.DiscussionThese results are consistent with differences in observed thumb use in these species and may also reflect systemic differences in bone volume fraction. The trabecular bone extension into the medullary cavity and concentrations beneath the disto‐radial flange may represent crucial biomechanical signals that will aid in the inference of fossil hominin thumb use.
Funder
H2020 European Research Council
Subject
Paleontology,Archeology,Genetics,Anthropology,Anatomy,Epidemiology
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献