Friday, March 14, 2008

More Small-Bodied Hominids from Indonesia

The Public Library of Science journal PLosOne has posted an article about the discovery of more small hominids from the island of Palau, which is just north of PNG in the Micronesia chain of islands. From the conclusion, the authors note:

Based on the evidence from Palau, we hypothesize that reduction in the size of the face and chin, large dental size and other features noted here may in some cases be correlates of extreme body size reduction in H. sapiens. These features when seen in Flores may be best explained as correlates of small body size in an island adaptation, regardless of taxonomic affinity. Under any circumstances the Palauan sample supports at least the possibility that the Flores hominins are simply an island adapted population of H. sapiens, perhaps with some individuals expressing congenital abnormalities.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Now playing: Alex De Grassi - Turning: Turning Back

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