Fossil footprints and what they mean for hominin paleobiology

IF 4.6 2区 社会学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY
Kevin G. Hatala, Neil T. Roach, Anna K. Behrensmeyer
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引用次数: 2

Abstract

Hominin footprints have not traditionally played prominent roles in paleoanthropological studies, aside from the famous 3.66 Ma footprints discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania in the late 1970s. This contrasts with the importance of trace fossils (ichnology) in the broader field of paleontology. Lack of attention to hominin footprints can probably be explained by perceptions that these are exceptionally rare and “curiosities” rather than sources of data that yield insights on par with skeletal fossils or artifacts. In recent years, however, discoveries of hominin footprints have surged in frequency, shining important new light on anatomy, locomotion, behaviors, and environments from a wide variety of times and places. Here, we discuss why these data are often overlooked and consider whether they are as “rare” as previously assumed. We review new ways footprint data are being used to address questions about hominin paleobiology, and we outline key opportunities for future research in hominin ichnology.

化石足迹及其对古人类古生物学的意义
除了20世纪70年代末在坦桑尼亚Laetoli发现的著名的3.66 Ma脚印外,古人类足迹在古人类研究中传统上并没有发挥重要作用。这与痕迹化石(技术)在更广泛的古生物学领域的重要性形成对比。对古人类足迹缺乏关注的原因可能是,人们认为这些脚印极其罕见,是“稀奇古怪的东西”,而不是能产生与骨骼化石或人工制品同等见解的数据来源。然而,近年来,古人类足迹的发现频率激增,为解剖学、运动、行为和来自不同时间和地点的环境提供了重要的新视角。在这里,我们讨论为什么这些数据经常被忽视,并考虑它们是否像以前假设的那样“罕见”。我们回顾了足迹数据用于解决古人类古生物学问题的新方法,并概述了未来古人类技术研究的关键机会。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
7.00
自引率
5.40%
发文量
46
期刊介绍: Evolutionary Anthropology is an authoritative review journal that focuses on issues of current interest in biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, archaeology, functional morphology, social biology, and bone biology — including dentition and osteology — as well as human biology, genetics, and ecology. In addition to lively, well-illustrated articles reviewing contemporary research efforts, this journal also publishes general news of relevant developments in the scientific, social, or political arenas. Reviews of noteworthy new books are also included, as are letters to the editor and listings of various conferences. The journal provides a valuable source of current information for classroom teaching and research activities in evolutionary anthropology.
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