非洲和中国直立人某些颅骨特征的比较--中国与非洲人类头骨特征对比之一

针对学术界有关非洲与亚洲直立人关系的争论,本文对一些用来支持非洲早期直立人从直立人中分离出来而归入匠人的主要形态学证据进行了检验,用于研究的标本包括迄今在东非发现的年代最早的直立人KNM－ER 3733、KNM－ER 3883和KNM－WT15000头骨化石,这些石是被提倡非洲与亚洲的直立人分离两个种的学者归入匠人的主要标本,对这些非注早期直立人与中国直立人18项头骨特征对比显示：一些被认为是局限于亚洲直立人的独有特征在上述非洲直立人头骨都有出现,存在于非洲直立人与中国直立人之间的颅骨特征上的差别主要体现在特征的表现程度与方式的不同,作者认为根据本文对比的颅骨特征,非洲直立人与中国直立人在颅骨形态上非常相似,他们之间的形态差异反映了直立人具有较宽的形态变范围,认为亚洲直立人具有特化的衍生性状的观点在本文不能得到支持。     

人属先驱种的系统位置——头面骨关键性状的比较研究

人属先驱种(Homo antecessor),是根据西班牙阿塔普尔卡Gran Dolina洞穴堆积中发现的人类化石厘定的。出产人类化石的地层年代测定距今约90万年到78万年之间。之所以定为先驱种,是因为最初研究者认为这个西班牙的古人类群是较晚的海德堡人(H. heidelbergensis)和尼安德特人的共同祖先(H. neanderthalensis),而在非洲和欧洲发现的海德堡人则已被认为是现代人的直接祖先。目前对先驱种的争论还没有明确的结论。之所以会形成这种局面,与\"先驱种\"模式化石的生物学年龄和保存状况有极大的关系。本文对当初厘定\"先驱种\"的头骨和面骨的11个特定性状做了一个系统的回顾,尤其是和各类南方古猿(Australopithecus和Praeanthropus),最早的人属成员能人种(H. habilis)和鲁道夫种(H. rudolfensis),人属匠人种(H. ergaster),以及人属直立人种(H. erectus)面部梨状孔周边和上颌骨功能区的特征的比较研究。这11个头面骨的特征包括:1)眶下骨骼的冠状面朝向、2)犬齿窝的存在、3)上颌骨下缘外侧端向下的转折切迹、4)弧状颧骨下缘、5)梨状孔外侧上颌骨的转折和朝向、6)梨状孔外缘和颧骨起点的相对位置、7)梨状孔下缘鼻棘和侧棘的位置和组合形态、8)颧骨和上颌骨结节、9)类现代人的骨表面重塑模式、10)突出的鼻骨、和11)颞骨的上凸的颞鳞上缘。结果表明\"先驱种\"的头面骨的定性特征没有特异性,其组合与周口店的直立人面部基本形态也非常相似,因而作者倾向于认为\"先驱种\"就是直立人种的欧洲变异群体。所谓\"人属先驱种\"可能只是广义的人属直立人种(H. erectus sensu lato)欧洲代表。目前的化石材料显示欧洲和亚洲的直立人种是非洲匠人种的演变而来。     

山东沂源猿人化石

本文记述了山东省沂源县骑子鞍山出土的一件人类头盖骨残片和七枚牙齿化石。它们的形态特征与北京猿人相似,在分类系统上应属直立人,与人类化石伴生的哺乳动物群的性质与周口店动物群相同,地质时代为中更新世。     

An archaic character in the Broken Hill innominate E. 719

The additional hominid material from Broken Hill, Kabwe, Zambia, is only dubiously associated with the hominid cranium from the site and is often considered to be anatomically modern in morphology. This study identifies an archaic feature, previously recognised in Pliocene and earlier Pleistocene innominates, in the Broken Hill innominate E. 719. An acetabulo-cristal buttress of cortical bone 10 mm thick is present, and this can be clearly distinguished from the morphology present in a comparative sample of large recent Homo sapiens innominates. This observation increases the likelihood that some of the additional specimens from Broken Hill are indeed of comparable antiquity to the hominid cranium and extends the range of hominids in which the feature has been recognised.     

Homo erectus—who,when and where: A survey

The state of information bearing on Homo erectus as developed since about 1960 is surveyed, with the resulting effects on problems. Definitions of H. erectus still rest on the Far Eastern samples (Chou-k'ou-tien/Java), and thus relate to late Lower to middle Middle Pleistocene material. Numerous important individual finds, however, have expanded the total: extension of the early and very early Sangiran material; very early to later in Africa, and relatively late in Europe. Datings remain uncertain or controversial within broad limits, but with some important successes and revisions. Discussion by authors of problems concerns degree of divergence among H. erectus populations and rate of evolutionary change; both appear relatively slight, but the data are inadequate for much present judgment. The apparent zone of transition to more advanced morphology (H. sapiens, sensu lato) by the late Middle Pleistocene better reflects signs of regional divergence. Some writers—not all—believe that even the earliest European fossils known (e.g., Petralona) had already advanced to a H. sapiens basic level, with later change in the direction of Neanderthals. A separate African phylum, from OH 9, is also suggested; recent Chinese finds may provide a third different post-erectus population before the Upper Pleistocene. Taxonomic expression of all this gives some problems.     

湖北郧县曲远河口人类颅骨的形态特征及其在人类演化中的位置

１９８９和１９９０年在湖北省郧县青曲镇曲远河口学堂梁子上相继发现两具远古人类的颅骨化石。伴生的哺乳动物化石已鉴定的有１８种,其中大熊猫武陵亚种、桑氏鬣狗、爪哇豺、中国猴莫、云南马、小猪等具有鲜明的时代特色,表明该地点的时代属中更新世早期或稍早。两具颅骨的形态特征比较复杂,既有明显的直立人特征,又具有某些早期人的性状。综合观察分析,直立人的特征占主要,归入直立人范畴更合适,与中国已发现的人类化石比较     

南召发现的人类和哺乳类化石

本文记述的人类化石是一枚右下第二前臼齿,发现于河南省南召县鸡河右岸第二级阶地的堆积中。一起发现的哺乳类化石有剑齿虎、中国鬣狗、肿骨鹿、剑齿象、三门马和巨等二十一种。时代为中更新世。     

Missing links: Eugène Dubois and the origins of paleoanthropology

Examining the origins of various scientific fields may help to identify particular individuals whose thought, work, and discoveries have had a disproportionately large influence. Such individuals seem to serve as catalysts for a wider set of intellectual reactions, which then give rise to an entire field of study. In this paper, we propose explicit criteria for recognizing the founders of new fields. We contend that Eugène Dubois, best known as the man who found the “missing link” between apes and humans, should be recognized as one of the founding fathers of paleoanthropology.     

中国古人类牙齿尺寸演化特点及东亚直立人的系统地位

对中国境内不同时代人类牙齿测量数据的发析显示,中国古人类牙齿尺寸的总体演化趋势与世界其它地区人类一致,呈缩小变化,其中一个表现特点是中国直立人与早期智人在牙齿尺寸上不差别不大,但作者根据对中国古人类化石形态特征,生存年代等方面的综合分析认为中国直立人在化石形态,生存年代等方面均与智人有明显的不同,取消直立人,将其并入智人意见的证据还是不够充分的,目前仍宜将直立人与智人作为人属内两个不同的种来看待,     

THE EVOLUTION OF EARLY HOMO: A REPLY TO SCOTT

Scott presents a welcome reply to our article, “A single lineage in early Pleistocene Homo” (Van Arsdale and Wolpoff 2012 ). However, Scott's reply mischaracterizes and fails to directly address the hypothesis of a single lineage that we test. Additionally, the approach taken by Scott fails to replicate the methods used in our analysis. As Scott himself suggests, our null hypothesis of a single evolving lineage in early Homo remains without refutation. Although many evolutionary scenarios might explain the complex pattern of variation present in the early Homo fossil record, the most parsimonious remains that of a single lineage displaying evolutionary change over time.