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The growth pattern of Neandertals, reconstructed from a juvenile skeleton from El Sidrón (Spain)

Rosas, A; Rios, L; Estalrrich, A; Liversidge, H; Garcia-Tabernero, A; Huguet, R; Cardoso, H; ... Dean, C; + view all (2017) The growth pattern of Neandertals, reconstructed from a juvenile skeleton from El Sidrón (Spain). Science , 357 (6357) pp. 1282-1287. 10.1126/science.aan6463. Green open access

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Abstract

Ontogenetic studies help us understand the processes of evolutionary change. Previous studies on Neandertals have focused mainly on dental development and inferred an accelerated pace of general growth. We report on a juvenile partial skeleton (El Sidrón J1) preserving cranio-dental and postcranial remains. We used dental histology to estimate the age at death to be 7.7 years. Maturation of most elements fell within the expected range of modern humans at this age. The exceptions were the atlas and mid-thoracic vertebrae, which remained at the 5- to 6-year stage of development. Furthermore, endocranial features suggest that brain growth was not yet completed. The vertebral maturation pattern and extended brain growth most likely reflect Neandertal physiology and ontogenetic energy constraints rather than any fundamental difference in the overall pace of growth in this extinct human.

Type: Article
Title: The growth pattern of Neandertals, reconstructed from a juvenile skeleton from El Sidrón (Spain)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1126/science.aan6463
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aan6463
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10039466
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