One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans
The type specimen of Paranthropus robustus (TM 1517, including a partial cranium) was discovered at Kromdraai near Sterkfontein in 1938 and described by Robert Broom as a new species. Subsequently, more robust australopithecines were discovered at the nearby site of Swartkrans. These Swartkrans homi...
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2010-03-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Online Access: | https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10186 |
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| author | Zachary Cofran J. Francis Thackeray |
| author_facet | Zachary Cofran J. Francis Thackeray |
| author_sort | Zachary Cofran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The type specimen of Paranthropus robustus (TM 1517, including a partial cranium) was discovered at Kromdraai near Sterkfontein in 1938 and described by Robert Broom as a new species. Subsequently, more robust australopithecines were discovered at the nearby site of Swartkrans. These Swartkrans hominins were described by Broom as Paranthropus crassidens. Many palaeoanthropologists currently regard the robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans as one species, but consensus has not been reached on this issue. A morphometric analysis has been undertaken to assess the probability that specimens attributed to P. crassidens represent the same species as that which is represented by TM 1517, the holotype of P. robustus. Our results failed to reject the null hypothesis that both sites sample the same, single species of robust australopithecine. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6c406cf68ca146f4be9fc1473b88b5db |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2010-03-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-6c406cf68ca146f4be9fc1473b88b5db2025-08-20T01:52:59ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892010-03-011061/240438388One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and SwartkransZachary Cofran0J. Francis Thackeray1University of MichiganUniversity of the WitwatersrandThe type specimen of Paranthropus robustus (TM 1517, including a partial cranium) was discovered at Kromdraai near Sterkfontein in 1938 and described by Robert Broom as a new species. Subsequently, more robust australopithecines were discovered at the nearby site of Swartkrans. These Swartkrans hominins were described by Broom as Paranthropus crassidens. Many palaeoanthropologists currently regard the robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans as one species, but consensus has not been reached on this issue. A morphometric analysis has been undertaken to assess the probability that specimens attributed to P. crassidens represent the same species as that which is represented by TM 1517, the holotype of P. robustus. Our results failed to reject the null hypothesis that both sites sample the same, single species of robust australopithecine.https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10186 |
| spellingShingle | Zachary Cofran J. Francis Thackeray One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans South African Journal of Science |
| title | One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans |
| title_full | One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans |
| title_fullStr | One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans |
| title_full_unstemmed | One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans |
| title_short | One or two species? A morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from Kromdraai and Swartkrans |
| title_sort | one or two species a morphometric comparison between robust australopithecines from kromdraai and swartkrans |
| url | https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10186 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zacharycofran oneortwospeciesamorphometriccomparisonbetweenrobustaustralopithecinesfromkromdraaiandswartkrans AT jfrancisthackeray oneortwospeciesamorphometriccomparisonbetweenrobustaustralopithecinesfromkromdraaiandswartkrans |