文章基本信息

标题：The use of Z-scores to facilitate morphometric comparisons between African Plio-Pleistocene hominin fossils: An example of method
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作者：J.Francis Thackeray ; Ottmar Kullmer
期刊名称：South African Journal of Science
印刷版ISSN：0038-2353
电子版ISSN：1996-7489
出版年度：2022
卷号：118
期号：1-2
页码：1-5
DOI：10.17159/sajs.2022/11182
语种：English
出版社：The Foundation for Research Development
摘要：South Africa and East Africa each have a rich palaeoanthropological heritage, but the taxonomy of fossil hominins from these regions is controversial. In this study, two morphometric methods related to the quantification of variability in morphology have been applied to pairwise comparisons of linear measurements of hominoid crania and mandibles. The log-transformed standard error of the m-coefficient (‘log sem’) is calculated from linear regressions. Like Procrustes Distances (PD), log sem statistics can serve to quantify variation in the shape of a cranium or mandible in the context of a constellation of landmarks. In this study, PD and log sem statistics are integrated and standardised using Z-scores, and applied probabilistically to Plio-Pleistocene hominins. As a test case, OH 7 and OH 24 as reference specimens of Homo habilis are compared to fossils representing other taxa. There is a wide spectrum of variation in Z-scores for specimens attributed to early Homo dated within the period between circa 1.8 Ma and 2 Ma. In terms of morphometric variation predating 1.8 Ma, Z-scores (Z<2) for Australopithecus afarensis, A. africanus and Homo habilis display a small range of variability. This study serves as a demonstration of a method whereby log sem and PD can be used together to facilitate an objective assessment of morphological variability, applicable in palaeontological contexts.
关键词：morphometrics;hominin;PlioPleistocene;Australopithecus;Homo habilis