Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba was Limited in its Ability to Eat Hard Foods

Authors

Justin A. Ledogar, University at AlbanyFollow
Amanda L. Smith, Washington University in St. LouisFollow
Stefano Benazzi, University of BolognaFollow
Gerhard W. Weber, University of Vienna
Mark A. Spencer, South Mountain Community CollegeFollow
Keely B. Carlson, Texas A&M University
Kieran P. McNulty, University of Minnesota
Paul C. Dechow, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Ian R. Grosse, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Callum F. Ross, University of Chicago
Brian G. Richmond, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyFollow
Barth Wright, Kansas City University
Qian Wang, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Craig Byron, Mercer University
Kristian J. Carlson, University of the WitwatersrandFollow
Darryl J. De Ruiter, Texas A&M University
Lee R. Berger, University of the Witwatersrand
Kelli Tamvada, University at Albany
Leslie C. Pryor, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Michael A. Berthaume, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyFollow
David S. Strait, Washington University in St. Louis

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Nature Communications

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.

DOI

10.1038/ncomms10596

Publication Date

2-8-2016

ISSN

2041-1723

Recommended Citation

Ledogar JA, Smith AL, Benazzi S, Weber GW, Spencer MA, Carlson KB, McNulty KP, Dechow PC, Grosse IR, Ross CF, Richmond BG, Wright B, Wang Q, Byron C, Carlson KJ, De Ruiter DJ, Berger LR, Tamvada K, Pryor LC, Berthaume MA, Strait DS. Mechanical Evidence That Australopithecus sediba was Limited in its Ability to Eat Hard Foods. Nature Communications. 2016; 7. doi: 10.1038/ncomms10596.