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Hominin dental remains from the Pliocene localities at Lomekwi, Kenya (1982-2009)

Skinner, Matthew M., Leakey, Maeve G., Leakey, Louise N., Manthi, Fredrick K., Spoor, Fred (2020) Hominin dental remains from the Pliocene localities at Lomekwi, Kenya (1982-2009). Journal of Human Evolution, 145 . Article Number 102820. ISSN 0047-2484. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102820) (KAR id:81879)

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Abstract

Increasing evidence for both taxonomic diversity and early stone manufacture during the Pliocene highlight the importance of the hominin fossil record from this epoch in eastern Africa. Here, we describe dental remains from Lomekwi (West Turkana, Kenya), which date from between 3.2 and 3.5 Ma. The sample was collected between 1982 and 2009 and includes five gnathic specimens and a total of 67 teeth (mostly isolated permanent postcanine teeth). Standard linear dimensions indicate that, while the Lomekwi teeth are relatively small, there is broad overlap in size with contemporary Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus deyiremeda specimens at most tooth positions. However, some dental characters differentiate this sample from these species including: a relatively large P4 and M3 compared with the M1, a high incidence of well-developed protostylids and specific accessory molar cuspules. Due to a lack of well-preserved tooth crowns (and the complete absence of mandibular teeth) in the holotype and paratype of Kenyanthropus platyops, and limited comparable gnathic morphology in the new specimens, it cannot be determined whether these Lomekwi specimens should be attributed to this species. Attribution of these specimens is further complicated by a lack of certainty about position along the tooth row of many of the molar specimens. More comprehensive shape analyses of the external and internal morphology of these specimens, and additional fossil finds, would facilitate the taxonomic attribution of specimens in this taxonomically diverse period of human evolution.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102820
Uncontrolled keywords: Dentition; Kenyanthropus; Australopithecus; Dental traits; Crown size
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Matthew Skinner
Date Deposited: 26 Jun 2020 06:35 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 17:43 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/81879 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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