@article{ddb628d9fa614eb88b6515516ea8b0dc,
title = "Adaptation to suspensory locomotion in Australopithecus sediba",
abstract = "Australopithecus sediba is represented by well-preserved fossilized remains from the locality of Malapa, South Africa. Recent work has shown that the combination of features in the limb skeleton of A. sediba was distinct from that of earlier species of Australopithecus, perhaps indicating that this species moved differently. The bones of the arm and forearm indicate that A. sediba was adapted to suspensory and climbing behaviors. We used a geometric morphometric approach to examine ulnar shape, potentially identifying adaptations to forelimb suspensory locomotion in A. sediba. Results indicated suspensory capabilities in this species and a stronger forelimb suspensory signal than has been documented in Australopithecus afarensis. Our study confirms the adaptive significance of functional morphological traits for arboreal movements in the locomotor repertoire of A. sediba and provides important insight into the diversity and mosaic nature of locomotor adaptations among early hominins.",
keywords = "Australopithecus afarensis, Functional morphology, Geometric morphometrics, South Africa, Ulna",
author = "Rein, {Thomas R.} and Terry Harrison and Carlson, {Kristian J.} and Katerina Harvati",
note = "Funding Information: Thanks to the Evolutionary Studies Institute, the University of Witwatersrand, Lee Berger, Steven Churchill, Bernhard Zipfel, and the Fossil Access Committee for providing access to the Australopithecus sediba fossil. Thanks to the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of Ethiopia, Mamitu Yilma, and William Kimbel for providing access to the Australopithecus afarensis specimen. Extant species museum specimens were generously made available for study by Linda Gordon (National Museum of Natural History), Judith Chupasko (Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology), William Stanley (Field Museum of Natural History), Malcolm Harman (Powell-Cotton Museum), Paula Jenkins and Louise Tomsett (Natural History Museum, London), Frieder Mayer (Humboldt-Universit{\"a}t zu Berlin, Museum f{\"u}r Naturkunde), Emmanuel Gilissen and Wim Wendelen (Royal Museum for Central Africa), Marcia Ponce de Le{\'o}n and Christoph Zollikofer (Anthropologisches Institut und Museum, Universit{\"a}t Z{\"u}rich-Irchel), Emma Mbua and Fredrick Kyalo Manthi (National Museums of Kenya), Yohannes Haile-Selassie and Lyman Jellema (Hamann-Todd Collection), Nancy Simmons, Neil Duncan, and Eileen Westwig (American Museum of Natural History), and Michael Francken (University of T{\"u}bingen). The research was funded by the Volkswagen Foundation (Grant number 86 049; Germany; TRR), National Science Foundation (Grant numbers BCS-0849204, IGERT 0333415; USA; TRR and TH), L.S.B. Leakey Foundation (USA; TRR), Wenner-Gren Foundation (Grant number Gr. 7982; USA; TRR), and New York University (USA; TRR). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Elsevier Ltd",
year = "2017",
month = mar,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.12.005",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "104",
pages = "1--12",
journal = "Journal of Human Evolution",
issn = "0047-2484",
publisher = "Academic Press",
}