Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale?
Determining the sex of individual specimens is important in estimating the degree of sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism, in turn, provides clues for reconstructing the social organisation and mating systems of extinct species. In an article published in Science, Lockwood et al. (Lockwood CA, Mente...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2016-02-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4150 |
| _version_ | 1819266843165065216 |
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| author | Katarzyna A. Kaszycka |
| author_facet | Katarzyna A. Kaszycka |
| author_sort | Katarzyna A. Kaszycka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Determining the sex of individual specimens is important in estimating the degree of sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism, in turn, provides clues for reconstructing the social organisation and mating systems of extinct species. In an article published in Science, Lockwood et al. (Lockwood CA, Menter CG, Moggi-Cecchi J, Keyser AW. Extended male growth in a fossil hominin species. Science. 2007;318:1443–1446.) suggested an uneven sex ratio (in favour of males) for the known individuals of the South African Pleistocene hominid, Australopithecus robustus, and claimed evidence of an extended period of growth (delayed maturity) for the males of this species. They concluded that this finding, combined with estimates of sexual size dimorphism, suggests a polygynous reproductive strategy, and a social system similar to that of silverback gorillas (i.e. one-male harems). On re-examination of these claims, and based on further analysis, I agree with Lockwood et al. that morphologically A. robustus exhibits an increased (almost gorilla-like) level of facial dimorphism, but propose using an alternate (clustering) technique for grouping the specimens of highly dimorphic species into sexes, and argue that their pronouncements regarding a polygynous social structure of these early hominids are inconclusive. I contend instead that the habitat occupied by this species suggests rather that a one-male harem social structure would have been counterproductive. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T21:07:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44595f21254543198dc94c5efa2451b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T21:07:42Z |
| publishDate | 2016-02-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-44595f21254543198dc94c5efa2451b32022-12-21T17:31:10ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892016-02-011121/28810.17159/sajs.2016/201501654150Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale?Katarzyna A. Kaszycka0Department of Human Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Anthropology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, PolandDetermining the sex of individual specimens is important in estimating the degree of sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism, in turn, provides clues for reconstructing the social organisation and mating systems of extinct species. In an article published in Science, Lockwood et al. (Lockwood CA, Menter CG, Moggi-Cecchi J, Keyser AW. Extended male growth in a fossil hominin species. Science. 2007;318:1443–1446.) suggested an uneven sex ratio (in favour of males) for the known individuals of the South African Pleistocene hominid, Australopithecus robustus, and claimed evidence of an extended period of growth (delayed maturity) for the males of this species. They concluded that this finding, combined with estimates of sexual size dimorphism, suggests a polygynous reproductive strategy, and a social system similar to that of silverback gorillas (i.e. one-male harems). On re-examination of these claims, and based on further analysis, I agree with Lockwood et al. that morphologically A. robustus exhibits an increased (almost gorilla-like) level of facial dimorphism, but propose using an alternate (clustering) technique for grouping the specimens of highly dimorphic species into sexes, and argue that their pronouncements regarding a polygynous social structure of these early hominids are inconclusive. I contend instead that the habitat occupied by this species suggests rather that a one-male harem social structure would have been counterproductive.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4150australopithecinesexing fossilssize dimorphismmating systemsocial structurek-means clustering |
| spellingShingle | Katarzyna A. Kaszycka Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? South African Journal of Science australopithecine sexing fossils size dimorphism mating system social structure k-means clustering |
| title | Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? |
| title_full | Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? |
| title_fullStr | Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? |
| title_short | Australopithecus robustus societies – one-male or multimale? |
| title_sort | australopithecus robustus societies one male or multimale |
| topic | australopithecine sexing fossils size dimorphism mating system social structure k-means clustering |
| url | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4150 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katarzynaakaszycka australopithecusrobustussocietiesonemaleormultimale |