commonunity: not just skin deep: CT study of early humans reveals evolutionary relationships. The authors argue that these structural differences show that anterior pillars evolved via different pathways in different species. The findings challenge long-standing theories that similar external facial features represent shared traits inherited from a common ancestor, and suggest instead that external similarities in South Africa’s A. africanus and A. robustus were due to parallel evolution. “We believe that the detailed similarities in the internal anatomy of the face strongly supports the hypothesis that there was a single evolutionary branch of ‘robust australopithecines’, and that the A. africanus and A. boiseiforms both shared a common ancestor,” says Dr Villmoare. “The external similarity of the anterior pillar in otherAustralopith species may be related to convergence on a similar dietary niche, but does not seem to indicate shared ancestry.” posted in science daily It’s really a long shot in my opinion but absorbing, nonetheless. I should be studying for my linguistics exam tomorrow but paleoanthropology will always have my heart.

commonunity:

not just skin deep: CT study of early humans reveals evolutionary relationships.

The authors argue that these structural differences show that anterior pillars evolved via different pathways in different species. The findings challenge long-standing theories that similar external facial features represent shared traits inherited from a common ancestor, and suggest instead that external similarities in South Africa’s A. africanus and A. robustus were due to parallel evolution.

“We believe that the detailed similarities in the internal anatomy of the face strongly supports the hypothesis that there was a single evolutionary branch of ‘robust australopithecines’, and that the A. africanus and A. boiseiforms both shared a common ancestor,” says Dr Villmoare. “The external similarity of the anterior pillar in otherAustralopith species may be related to convergence on a similar dietary niche, but does not seem to indicate shared ancestry.”

posted in science daily

It’s really a long shot in my opinion but absorbing, nonetheless. I should be studying for my linguistics exam tomorrow but paleoanthropology will always have my heart.