The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology
Organ–skeleton relationships are understudied in biological anthropology. The torso skeleton is often used to infer the organ size and evolution in hominins; ribcage “types”, in particular, are used to infer the abdominal organ size in hominins. This study is a quantitative examination of the relati...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Humans |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/4/4/20 |
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| author | Jeanelle Uy Gabrielė Beresnevičiūtė Vyvy Nguyen |
| author_facet | Jeanelle Uy Gabrielė Beresnevičiūtė Vyvy Nguyen |
| author_sort | Jeanelle Uy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Organ–skeleton relationships are understudied in biological anthropology. The torso skeleton is often used to infer the organ size and evolution in hominins; ribcage “types”, in particular, are used to infer the abdominal organ size in hominins. This study is a quantitative examination of the relationship between the lower ribcage and two organs: the liver and the intestines (“gut”) in humans. Specifically, we test whether the ribcage breadth, shape, and “flare”, at the level of rib 10, covaries with the liver volume and gut volume in <i>Homo sapiens</i>. Liver size, gut size, and ribcage measurements are taken from CT scans (<i>N</i> = 61). The results show sex differences in the gut–ribcage relationship. The gut volume is associated with ribcage breadth and flare in both sexes. The liver volume is not associated with any ribcage measurements. We conclude that sex differences in the organ–skeleton relationship complicate the previous simplistic view that the size of the liver or the gut could be inferred through a fossil’s ribcage type. Biological anthropologists should continue to explore sex differences in organ–skeleton relationships, when attempting to understand the evolution of visceral organs and the torso. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2fd652d01a134885b921d42b9e07bec4 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2673-9461 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humans |
| spelling | doaj-art-2fd652d01a134885b921d42b9e07bec42025-08-20T02:55:53ZengMDPI AGHumans2673-94612024-10-014431032010.3390/humans4040020The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for PaleoanthropologyJeanelle Uy0Gabrielė Beresnevičiūtė1Vyvy Nguyen2Department of Anthropology, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USADepartment of Anthropology, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USADepartment of Anthropology, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USAOrgan–skeleton relationships are understudied in biological anthropology. The torso skeleton is often used to infer the organ size and evolution in hominins; ribcage “types”, in particular, are used to infer the abdominal organ size in hominins. This study is a quantitative examination of the relationship between the lower ribcage and two organs: the liver and the intestines (“gut”) in humans. Specifically, we test whether the ribcage breadth, shape, and “flare”, at the level of rib 10, covaries with the liver volume and gut volume in <i>Homo sapiens</i>. Liver size, gut size, and ribcage measurements are taken from CT scans (<i>N</i> = 61). The results show sex differences in the gut–ribcage relationship. The gut volume is associated with ribcage breadth and flare in both sexes. The liver volume is not associated with any ribcage measurements. We conclude that sex differences in the organ–skeleton relationship complicate the previous simplistic view that the size of the liver or the gut could be inferred through a fossil’s ribcage type. Biological anthropologists should continue to explore sex differences in organ–skeleton relationships, when attempting to understand the evolution of visceral organs and the torso.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/4/4/20homininsliverribcagegut size |
| spellingShingle | Jeanelle Uy Gabrielė Beresnevičiūtė Vyvy Nguyen The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology Humans hominins liver ribcage gut size |
| title | The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology |
| title_full | The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology |
| title_fullStr | The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology |
| title_short | The Relationship of the Lower Ribcage with Liver and Gut Size: Implications for Paleoanthropology |
| title_sort | relationship of the lower ribcage with liver and gut size implications for paleoanthropology |
| topic | hominins liver ribcage gut size |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/4/4/20 |
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