Article Data

  • Views 949
  • Dowloads 122

Original Research

Open Access

Craniofacial architectural constraints and their importance for reconstructing the early Homo skull KNM-ER 1470

  • Timothy G. Bromage1,*,
  • James M. McMahon2
  • J. Francis Thackeray3
  • Ottmar Kullmer4
  • Russell Hogg5
  • Alfred L. Rosenberger6
  • Friedemann Schrenk4
  • Donald H. Enlow7

1Departments of Biomaterials & Biomimetics and Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, NewYork University College of Dentistry

2University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Nursing

3Department of Palaeontology and Palaeoenvironmental Studies, Transvaal Museum

4Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum

5Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

6Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Brooklyn College, City University of NewYork

7Case School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University

DOI: 10.17796/jcpd.33.1.8168115j12103nut Vol.33,Issue 1,January 2009 pp.43-54

Published: 01 January 2009

*Corresponding Author(s): Timothy G. Bromage E-mail: tim.bromage@nyu.edu

Abstract

Objective: Our objective is to exploit architectural constraint for the analysis and interpretation of craniofacial form, which we apply here to the reconstruction of the early Homo cranium KNM-ER 1470. We are motivated to perform this study because in the absence of biological criteria our preconceptions are likely to govern our concept of craniofacial form. Study Design: We reassembled the fragmented parts—left and right halves of the calvaria and the face—according to mammalian craniofacial architectural constraints described by Donald H. Enlow and colleagues. Results: When evaluated on a biological premise, KNM-ER 1470 is found to have a more prognathic midface than commonly appreciated. The relationship between facial prognathism and cranial capacity also provides an estimate downward for this specimen, from 752cc to ca. 700cc. Conclusion: Awareness of our preconceptions is critical to the performance of relatively unbiased research in fields characterized by interpretations of morphology. When perceptual bias is relatively minimized, applied here as an architecturally constrained of KNM-ER 1470 craniofacial skeleton, we are able to provide the scientific community with a more tractable Gestalt perspective of form.

Keywords

KNM-ER 1470, craniofacial architecture, developmental constraint

Cite and Share

Timothy G. Bromage,James M. McMahon,J. Francis Thackeray,Ottmar Kullmer,Russell Hogg,Alfred L. Rosenberger,Friedemann Schrenk,Donald H. Enlow. Craniofacial architectural constraints and their importance for reconstructing the early Homo skull KNM-ER 1470. Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. 2009. 33(1);43-54.

References

1. Leakey R.E.F. Evidence for an advanced Plio-Pliestocene hominid from East Rudolf, Kenya. Nature, 242: 447–450, 1973.

2. Day M.H., Leakey R.E.F., Walker A.C. and Wood B.A. New hominids from East Rudolf, Kenya, I. Am J phys Anthrop, 42: 461–476, 1975.

3. Lewin R. Bones of Contention: Controversies in the Search for Human Origins. Simon & Shuster Inc., New York; 1987.

4. Reader J. Missing links: The hunt for earliest man. Penguin Group, London; 1988.

5. Willis D. The hominid gang: Behind the scenes in the search for human origins. Penguin Group, New York; 1989.

6. Wood B. Koobi Fora research project: Volume 4. Hominid cranial remains. Oxford University Press, Oxford; 1991.

7. Walker A.C. and Shipman P. The wisdom of the bones: In search of human origins. Random House Inc, New York; 1996.

8. Leakey R.E.F. Hominids in Africa. Am Sci, 64: 174–178, 1976.

9. McDougall I., Maier R., Sutherland-Hawkes P. and Gleadow A.J.W. K- Ar age estimate for the KBS Tuff, East Turkana, Kenya. Nature, 284: 230–234, 1980.

10. McDougall I. 40Ar/39Ar age spectra from the KBS Tuff, Koobi Fora Formation. Nature, 294: 120–124, 1981.

11. Bromage T.G. Ontogeny and evolution of primate and early hominid craniofacial architectural constraints. Am J phys Anthrop, Suppl 12: 54, 1991.

12. Enlow D.H. A morphogenetic analysis of facial growth. Am J Orthod, 52: 283–299,1966.

13. Thompson D’Arcy W. On growth and form. Cambridge University Press, London; 1942.

14. Enlow D.H. The human face: An account of the postnatal growth and development of the craniofacial skeleton. Harper and Row, New York; 1968.

15. Enlow D.H., Hunter W.S. The growth of the face in relation to the cra-nial base. Eur Orthod Soc Congress Report, 44: 321–335, 1968.

16. Enlow D.H., Moyers R.E., Hunter W.S. and McNamara Jr.J.A. A proce-dure for the analysis of intrinsic facial form and growth. Am J Orthod, 56: 6–23, 1969.

17. Enlow D.H., Kuroda T. and Lewis A.B. The morphological and mor-phogenetic basis for craniofacial form and pattern. Angle Orthod, 41: 161–188, 1971.

18. Enlow D.H., Kuroda T. and Lewis A.B. Intrinsic craniofacial compen-sations. Angle Orthod, 41: 271–285, 1971.

19. Enlow D.H. and Moyers R.E. Growth and architecture of the face. J Am Dent Assoc, 82: 763–774, 1971.

20. Enlow D.H. Croissance et architecture de la face. Pedod Fr, 6: 122–144, 1974.

21. Bhat M. and Enlow D.H. Facial variations related to headform type. Angle Orthod. 55: 269–280, 1985.

22. Enlow D.H. and Azuma M. Functional growth boundaries in the human and mammalian face.In: Langman J., editor. Morphogenesis and mal-formations of the face and brain. The National Foundation, New York; 217–230, 1975.

23. Bromage T.G. Faces from the past. New Scientist, 1803: 38–41, 1992.

24. Bromage T.G. The ontogeny of Pan troglodytes craniofacial architec-tural relationships and implications for early hominids. J hum Evol, 23: 235–251, 1992.

25. Ravosa M.J. and Shea B.T. Pattern in craniofacial biology: evidence from the Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae). International Journal of Primatology, 15: 801–821, 1994.

26. Lieberman D.E. Sphenoid shortening and the evolution of modern human cranial shape. Nature, 393: 158–162, 1998.

27. Lieberman D.E. and McCarthy R.C. The ontogeny of cranial base angu-lation in humans and chimpanzees and its implications for reconstruct-ing pharyngeal dimensions. J hum Evol, 36: 487–517, 1999.

28. McCarthy R.C. and Lieberman D.E. 2001 Posterior maxillary (PM) plane and anterior cranial architecture in primates. Anat Rec, 264: 247–260, 2001.

29. Holloway R.L. Human paleontological evidence relevant to language behavior. Human Neurobiology, 2: 105–114, 1983.

30. Thackeray J.F. and Monteith B.D. Relationships between cranial capac-ity and prognathism in Plio-Pleistocene hominids. South African J Sci, 93: 289–291, 1997.

31. Rosenberger A.L. Protoanthropoidea (Primates, Simiiformes): A new primate higher taxon and a solution to the Rooneyia problem. J Mamm Ev, 13: 139–146, 2006.

32. Rosenberger A.L. and Hogg R.T. On Bahinia pondaungensis, an alleged early anthropoid. Paleoanthropology, 2007: 26–30, 2007.

33. Kullmer O., Huck M., Engel K., Schrenk F. and Bromage T.G. Hominid Tooth Pattern Database (HOTPAD) derived from Optical 3D Topome-try. British Archeological Reports, S1049: 71–82, 2002.

34. Dow Corning (2007) Available: http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/default.aspx?R=23EN&DCCSF=260EN Accessed February 22, 2008.

35. Oyen O.J. and Walker A. Stereometric craniometry. Am J phys Anthrop, 46: 177–182, 1977.

36. Walker A.C. The Koobi For a hominids and their bearing on the origins of the genus Homo. In: Sigmon B.A. and Cybulski S., editors. Papers in honor of Davidson Black. University of Toronto Press, Toronto; 193–215, 1981.

37. McMahon J.M. Dissertation: Nomological mechanisms of anthropoid nasomaxillary diversity. City University of New York, New York; 1999.

38. Zollikofer C.P.E., Ponce de León M.S., Lieberman D.E., Guy F., Pilbeam D., Likius A., Mackaye H.T., Vignaud P. and Brunet M. Virtual cranial reconstruction of Sahelanthropus tchadensis. Nature, 434: 755–759, 2005.

39. Stringer C.B. The credibility of Homo habilis. In: Wood B.A., Martin L. and Andrews P., editors. Major topics in primate and human evolu-tion. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; 266–294, 1986.

40. Leakey R.E.F. Skull 1470. National Geographic, June: 818-829, 1973.

41. Dabelow A. Über Korrelationen in der phylogenetischen Entwicklung der Schädelform. I Die Beziehungen zwischen Rumpf und Schädelform. Morphol Jahrb, 63: 1-49, 1929.

42. Biegert J. Der formwandel der primaten schadels und seine beziehun-gen zur ontogenetischen (Entwicklung und den phylogenetischen spezialisationes der kopforgane). Gegnbrs Morphol Jhb, 98: 77–199, 1957.

43. Huxley T.H. Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature. Williams and Nor-gate, London; 1863.

44. Weidenreich F. Generic, specific, and subspecific characters in human evolution. Am J phys Anthrop, 31: 413–431, 1947.

45. Enlow D.H. and McNamara J.A. The neurocranial basis for facial form and pattern. Angle Orthod, 43: 256–270, 1973.

46. Enlow D.H. Handbook of facial growth. WB Saunders, Philadelphia; 1975.

47. Bramble D.M. Head stabilization and locomotor behavior in the Hominidae. Am J phys Anthrop, 81: 197–198, 1990.

48. Bramble D.M. and Lieberman D.E. Endurance running and the evolu-tion of Homo. Nature, 432: 345–352, 2004.

49. Thackeray J.F. Alternative views on hominid diversity in the context of Darwin’s assessment of barnacles. In Towards Gondwana Alive. Gond-wana Alive Society, Pretoria; 106–108, 1999.

50. Holloway R.L. Evolution of the human brain. In: Lock A. and Peters C., editors. Handbook of human symbolic evolution. Oxford University Press, New York; 74–116, 1996.

51. Bromage T.G., Schrenk F. and Zonneveld F.W. Palaeoanthropology of the Malawi Rift: An early hominid mandible from the Chiwondo Beds, northern Malawi. J hum Evol, 28: 71–108, 1995.

52. Dean M.C. Homo and Paranthropus: Similarities in the cranial base and developing dentition. In: Wood B.A., Martin L. and Andrews P., editors. Major topics in primate and human evolution. Cambridge Uni-versity Press, Cambridge; 249–265, 1986.

53. Dean M.C. Growth processes in the cranial base of hominoids and their bearing on morphological similarities that exist in the cranial base of Homo and Paranthropus. In: Grine F.E., editor. Evolutionary history of the “robust” australopithecines. Aldine de Gruyter, New York; 107–112, 1988.

54. Dean M.C. and Wood B.A. Metrical analysis of the basicranium of extant hominoids and Australopithecus. Am J phys Anthrop, 54: 63–71, 1981.

55. Dean M.C. and Wood B.A. Basicranial anatomy of Plio-Pleistocene hominids from East and South Africa. Am J phys Anthrop, 59: 157–174, 1982.

56. Kimbel W.H., White T.D. and Johanson D.C. Cranial morphology of Australopithecus afarensis: a comparative study based on a composite reconstruction of the adult skull. Am J phys Anthrop, 64: 337–388, 1984.

57. Skelton R.R., McHenry H.M. and Drawhorn G.M. Phylogenetic analy-sis of early hominids. Cur Anthrop, 27: 21–43, 1986.

58. Tobias P.V. Numerous apparently synapomorphic features in Australo-pithecus robustus, Australopithecus boisei and Homo habilis: Support for the Skelton-McHenry-Drawhorn hypothesis. In: Grine F.E., editor. Evolutionary history of the “robust” australopithecines. Aldine de Gruyter, New York; 293–308, 1988.

59. Bromage T.G. Ontogeny of the early hominid face. J hum Evol, 18: 751–773, 1989.

60. Spoor F., Garland Jr.T., Krovitz G., Ryan T.M., Silcox M.T,. and Walker A. The primate semicircular canal system and locomotion. Proc Nat Acad Sci 104: 10808–10812, 2007.

61. Mitroff I.I. Simulating engineering design: Philosophical presupposi-tions in engineering education and in models of the engineering design process. Skyscraper Engineer, 20: 9–33, 1970.

62. Tsodyks M. and Gilbert C. Neural networks and perceptual learning. Nature, 431: 775–781, 2004.

63. Kosslyn S.M., Thompson W.S., Kim I.J. and Alpert M. Topographical representations of mental images in primary visual cortex. Nature, 378: 496–498, 1995.

64. Blaser E., Pylyshyn Z.W. and Holcombe A.O. Tracking an object through feature space. Nature, 408: 196–199, 2000.

65. Bromage T.G. Science networks and the future of integrative research. In: Bromage T.G.,Vidal A., Aguirre E. and Perez-Ochoa A., editors. Integrative Approaches to Human Health and Evolution. Elsevier, Ams-terdam; 160–174, 2006.


Abstracted / indexed in

Science Citation Index Expanded (SciSearch) Created as SCI in 1964, Science Citation Index Expanded now indexes over 9,500 of the world’s most impactful journals across 178 scientific disciplines. More than 53 million records and 1.18 billion cited references date back from 1900 to present.

Biological Abstracts Easily discover critical journal coverage of the life sciences with Biological Abstracts, produced by the Web of Science Group, with topics ranging from botany to microbiology to pharmacology. Including BIOSIS indexing and MeSH terms, specialized indexing in Biological Abstracts helps you to discover more accurate, context-sensitive results.

Google Scholar Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines.

JournalSeek Genamics JournalSeek is the largest completely categorized database of freely available journal information available on the internet. The database presently contains 39226 titles. Journal information includes the description (aims and scope), journal abbreviation, journal homepage link, subject category and ISSN.

Current Contents - Clinical Medicine Current Contents - Clinical Medicine provides easy access to complete tables of contents, abstracts, bibliographic information and all other significant items in recently published issues from over 1,000 leading journals in clinical medicine.

BIOSIS Previews BIOSIS Previews is an English-language, bibliographic database service, with abstracts and citation indexing. It is part of Clarivate Analytics Web of Science suite. BIOSIS Previews indexes data from 1926 to the present.

Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition aims to evaluate a journal’s value from multiple perspectives including the journal impact factor, descriptive data about a journal’s open access content as well as contributing authors, and provide readers a transparent and publisher-neutral data & statistics information about the journal.

Scopus: CiteScore 1.8 (2023) Scopus is Elsevier's abstract and citation database launched in 2004. Scopus covers nearly 36,377 titles (22,794 active titles and 13,583 Inactive titles) from approximately 11,678 publishers, of which 34,346 are peer-reviewed journals in top-level subject fields: life sciences, social sciences, physical sciences and health sciences.

Submission Turnaround Time

Conferences

Top