Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution
Abstract Recent research on the Nariokotome Boy’s ribcage suggests the slender thorax of modern H. sapiens is a derived condition. However, since digital ribcage reconstructions of fossil H. sapiens are not available yet, it is unknown whether these individuals would have had a primitive or derived...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08472-3 |
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| author | José M. López-Rey Isabelle Crevecoeur Hila May Dani Nadel Carlos A. Palancar Marta Gómez-Recio Daniel García-Martínez Markus Bastir |
| author_facet | José M. López-Rey Isabelle Crevecoeur Hila May Dani Nadel Carlos A. Palancar Marta Gómez-Recio Daniel García-Martínez Markus Bastir |
| author_sort | José M. López-Rey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recent research on the Nariokotome Boy’s ribcage suggests the slender thorax of modern H. sapiens is a derived condition. However, since digital ribcage reconstructions of fossil H. sapiens are not available yet, it is unknown whether these individuals would have had a primitive or derived thorax. To address this issue, we first reconstructed the ribcages of Nazlet Khater 2, Ohalo II H2, Dolní Věstonice 13, and Ötzi. We used geometric morphometrics to compare them to 59 recent H. sapiens and three other Homo fossils (Nariokotome Boy, Kebara 2, Shanidar 3). Fossil H. sapiens ribcages exhibit the typical globular proportions of recent humans. Additionally, size and shape seem to be climate-dependent: smaller, cylindrical ribcages in warmer and more temperate climates (Nazlet Khater 2, Ohalo II H2) contrasted with larger, broader ribcages in colder climates (Dolní Věstonice 13). The ribcage of Ötzi presented mixed features, something that could have been beneficial for seasonal alpine transhumance. This suggests H. sapiens ribcage morphology encompasses both slender and stockier forms, highlighting that human anatomical variation might be more complex and context-dependent than previously thought. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-81ccb5590d8444e8a521d480013ca5b8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-81ccb5590d8444e8a521d480013ca5b82025-08-20T03:46:13ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-07-01811910.1038/s42003-025-08472-3Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolutionJosé M. López-Rey0Isabelle Crevecoeur1Hila May2Dani Nadel3Carlos A. Palancar4Marta Gómez-Recio5Daniel García-Martínez6Markus Bastir7Paleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Calle José Gutiérrez AbascalUMR 5199 PACEA, CNRS, Université de BordeauxDepartment of Anatomy and Anthropology, Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv UniversityZinman Institute of Archaeology, University of HaifaPaleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Calle José Gutiérrez AbascalPaleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Calle José Gutiérrez AbascalPhysical Anthropology Unit, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Calle José Antonio NovaisPaleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Calle José Gutiérrez AbascalAbstract Recent research on the Nariokotome Boy’s ribcage suggests the slender thorax of modern H. sapiens is a derived condition. However, since digital ribcage reconstructions of fossil H. sapiens are not available yet, it is unknown whether these individuals would have had a primitive or derived thorax. To address this issue, we first reconstructed the ribcages of Nazlet Khater 2, Ohalo II H2, Dolní Věstonice 13, and Ötzi. We used geometric morphometrics to compare them to 59 recent H. sapiens and three other Homo fossils (Nariokotome Boy, Kebara 2, Shanidar 3). Fossil H. sapiens ribcages exhibit the typical globular proportions of recent humans. Additionally, size and shape seem to be climate-dependent: smaller, cylindrical ribcages in warmer and more temperate climates (Nazlet Khater 2, Ohalo II H2) contrasted with larger, broader ribcages in colder climates (Dolní Věstonice 13). The ribcage of Ötzi presented mixed features, something that could have been beneficial for seasonal alpine transhumance. This suggests H. sapiens ribcage morphology encompasses both slender and stockier forms, highlighting that human anatomical variation might be more complex and context-dependent than previously thought.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08472-3 |
| spellingShingle | José M. López-Rey Isabelle Crevecoeur Hila May Dani Nadel Carlos A. Palancar Marta Gómez-Recio Daniel García-Martínez Markus Bastir Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution Communications Biology |
| title | Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| title_full | Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| title_fullStr | Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| title_short | Fossil ribcages of Homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| title_sort | fossil ribcages of homo sapiens provide new insights into modern human evolution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08472-3 |
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