Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods

Justin A. Ledogar; Amanda L. Smith; Stefano Benazzi; Gerhard W. Weber; Mark A. Spencer; Keely B. Carlson; Kieran P. McNulty; Paul C. Dechow; Ian Grosse; Callum F. Ross; Brian G. Richmond; Barth W. Wright; Qian Wang; Craig Byron; Kristian J Carlson; Darryl J de Ruiter; Lee R. Berger; Kelli Tamvada; Leslie C. Pryor; Michael A. Berthaume; David S. Strait

doi:10.1038/ncomms10596

Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods

Justin A. Ledogar
, Amanda L. Smith
, Stefano Benazzi
, Gerhard W. Weber
, Mark A. Spencer
, Keely B. Carlson
, Kieran P. McNulty
, Paul C. Dechow
, Ian Grosse
, Callum F. Ross
, Brian G. Richmond
, Barth W. Wright
, Qian Wang
, Craig Byron
, Kristian J Carlson
, Darryl J de Ruiter
, Lee R. Berger
, Kelli Tamvada
, Leslie C. Pryor
, Michael A. Berthaume

David S. Strait

University at Albany, State University of New York
Washington University in St. Louis
University of Bologna
University of Vienna
South Mountain Community College
The Texas A&m University System Health Science Center
University of Minnesota
Texas A&M University, College of Dentistry
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Chicago
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
Mercer University
University of Southern California
Texas A M University - College Station
University of the Witwatersrand
University at Albany
Washington University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat. Dental microwear data have previously been interpreted as indicating that A. sediba consumed hard foods, so our findings illustrate that mechanical data are essential if one aims to reconstruct a relatively complete picture of feeding adaptations in extinct hominins. An implication of our study is that the key to understanding the origin of Homo lies in understanding how environmental changes disrupted gracile australopith niches. Resulting selection pressures led to changes in diet and dietary adaption that set the stage for the emergence of our genus.

Original language	American English
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10596
State	Published - Feb 8 2016
Externally published	Yes

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

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Ledogar, J. A., Smith, A. L., Benazzi, S., Weber, G. W., Spencer, M. A., Carlson, K. B., McNulty, K. P., Dechow, P. C., Grosse, I., Ross, C. F., Richmond, B. G., Wright, B. W., Wang, Q., Byron, C., Carlson, K. J., de Ruiter, D. J., Berger, L. R., Tamvada, K., Pryor, L. C., ... Strait, D. S. (2016). Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods. Nature Communications, 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10596

Ledogar, JA, Smith, AL, Benazzi, S, Weber, GW, Spencer, MA, Carlson, KB, McNulty, KP, Dechow, PC, Grosse, I, Ross, CF, Richmond, BG, Wright, BW, Wang, Q, Byron, C, Carlson, KJ, de Ruiter, DJ, Berger, LR, Tamvada, K, Pryor, LC, Berthaume, MA & Strait, DS 2016, 'Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods', Nature Communications, vol. 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10596

@article{49b2583f60734118b00eee2d27bc9a91,

title = "Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods",

abstract = " Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat. Dental microwear data have previously been interpreted as indicating that A. sediba consumed hard foods, so our findings illustrate that mechanical data are essential if one aims to reconstruct a relatively complete picture of feeding adaptations in extinct hominins. An implication of our study is that the key to understanding the origin of Homo lies in understanding how environmental changes disrupted gracile australopith niches. Resulting selection pressures led to changes in diet and dietary adaption that set the stage for the emergence of our genus.",

author = "Ledogar, \{Justin A.\} and Smith, \{Amanda L.\} and Stefano Benazzi and Weber, \{Gerhard W.\} and Spencer, \{Mark A.\} and Carlson, \{Keely B.\} and McNulty, \{Kieran P.\} and Dechow, \{Paul C.\} and Ian Grosse and Ross, \{Callum F.\} and Richmond, \{Brian G.\} and Wright, \{Barth W.\} and Qian Wang and Craig Byron and Carlson, \{Kristian J\} and \{de Ruiter\}, \{Darryl J\} and Berger, \{Lee R.\} and Kelli Tamvada and Pryor, \{Leslie C.\} and Berthaume, \{Michael A.\} and Strait, \{David S.\}",

note = "Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat.",

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doi = "10.1038/ncomms10596",

language = "American English",

volume = "7",

journal = "Nature Communications",

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T1 - Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods

AU - Ledogar, Justin A.

AU - Smith, Amanda L.

AU - Benazzi, Stefano

AU - Weber, Gerhard W.

AU - Spencer, Mark A.

AU - Carlson, Keely B.

AU - McNulty, Kieran P.

AU - Dechow, Paul C.

AU - Grosse, Ian

AU - Ross, Callum F.

AU - Richmond, Brian G.

AU - Wright, Barth W.

AU - Wang, Qian

AU - Byron, Craig

AU - Carlson, Kristian J

AU - de Ruiter, Darryl J

AU - Berger, Lee R.

AU - Tamvada, Kelli

AU - Pryor, Leslie C.

AU - Berthaume, Michael A.

AU - Strait, David S.

N1 - Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat.

PY - 2016/2/8

Y1 - 2016/2/8

N2 - Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat. Dental microwear data have previously been interpreted as indicating that A. sediba consumed hard foods, so our findings illustrate that mechanical data are essential if one aims to reconstruct a relatively complete picture of feeding adaptations in extinct hominins. An implication of our study is that the key to understanding the origin of Homo lies in understanding how environmental changes disrupted gracile australopith niches. Resulting selection pressures led to changes in diet and dietary adaption that set the stage for the emergence of our genus.

AB - Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat. Dental microwear data have previously been interpreted as indicating that A. sediba consumed hard foods, so our findings illustrate that mechanical data are essential if one aims to reconstruct a relatively complete picture of feeding adaptations in extinct hominins. An implication of our study is that the key to understanding the origin of Homo lies in understanding how environmental changes disrupted gracile australopith niches. Resulting selection pressures led to changes in diet and dietary adaption that set the stage for the emergence of our genus.

UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10596

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DO - 10.1038/ncomms10596

M3 - Article

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

ER -

Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba Was Limited in Its Ability To Eat Hard Foods

Abstract

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