| Literature DB >> 28483039 |
John Hawks1,2, Marina Elliott1, Peter Schmid1,3, Steven E Churchill1,4, Darryl J de Ruiter1,5, Eric M Roberts6, Hannah Hilbert-Wolf6, Heather M Garvin1,7,8, Scott A Williams1,9,10, Lucas K Delezene1,11, Elen M Feuerriegel1,12, Patrick Randolph-Quinney1,13,14, Tracy L Kivell1,15,16, Myra F Laird1,17, Gaokgatlhe Tawane1, Jeremy M DeSilva1,18, Shara E Bailey9,10, Juliet K Brophy1,19, Marc R Meyer20, Matthew M Skinner1,15,16, Matthew W Tocheri21,22, Caroline VanSickle1,2,23, Christopher S Walker1,4,24, Timothy L Campbell5, Brian Kuhn25, Ashley Kruger1,26, Steven Tucker1, Alia Gurtov1,2, Nompumelelo Hlophe1, Rick Hunter1, Hannah Morris1,27, Becca Peixotto1,28, Maropeng Ramalepa1, Dirk van Rooyen1, Mathabela Tsikoane1, Pedro Boshoff1, Paul Hgm Dirks6, Lee R Berger1.
Abstract
The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional context for hominin remains. In each of three collection areas within the Lesedi Chamber, diagnostic skeletal material allows a clear attribution to H. naledi. Both adult and immature material is present. The hominin remains represent at least three individuals based upon duplication of elements, but more individuals are likely present based upon the spatial context. The most significant specimen is the near-complete cranium of a large individual, designated LES1, with an endocranial volume of approximately 610 ml and associated postcranial remains. The Lesedi Chamber skeletal sample extends our knowledge of the morphology and variation of H. naledi, and evidence of H. naledi from both recovery localities shows a consistent pattern of differentiation from other hominin species.Entities:
Keywords: Homo naledi; Lesedi Chamber; evolutionary biology; genomics; hominin; none; paleoanthropology
Mesh:
Year: 2017 PMID: 28483039 PMCID: PMC5423776 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.24232
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Elife ISSN: 2050-084X Impact factor: 8.140