SMC Affiliated Work
1
Status
Faculty
School
School of Science
Department
Biology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2013
Publication / Conference / Sponsorship
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Description/Abstract
The hand and foot remains from Moula-Guercy cave (Ardèche, France) comprise 24 specimens of Eemian age (ca. 120 ka). The specimens include primarily complete elements, which are rare among the Moula-Guercy postcrania. The hand remains have several characteristic Neanderthal traits including a laterally facing (parasagittally oriented) second metacarpal-capitate articulation, a short styloid process, a wide proximal articular surface on the third metacarpal, and absolutely expanded apical tuberosities on the distal hand phalanges relative to modern humans. The foot remains include several incomplete elements along with an antimeric pair of naviculars, a medial cuneiform and cuboid, and a single complete element from each of the distal segments (one each: metatarsal, proximal foot phalanx, intermediate foot phalanx, distal foot phalanx). Consistent among the specimens are relatively wide diaphyses for length in the metatarsals and phalanges and large and prominent muscle attachments, both consistent with previously published Neanderthal morphology. The hand and foot collection from Moula-Guercy is an important dataset for future studies of Neanderthal functional morphology, dexterity, and behavior as it represents a previously undersampled time period for European Neanderthals.
Keywords
Pleistocene, feet, hands, hominid
Scholarly
yes
Peer Reviewed
1
DOI
10.1002/ajpa.22389
Volume
152
Issue
4
First Page
516
Last Page
529
Disciplines
Biology
Rights
Open Access. Author Manuscript. Author permission to post in Saint Mary’s Digital Commons
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Original Citation
Rebecca Jabbour (Biology): “Neanderthal hand and foot remains from Moula-Guercy, Ardèche, France,” with Mersey B, Brudvik K, and Defleur A., in American Journal of Physical Anthropology 152:516-529 (2013). doi:10.1002/ajpa.22389
Repository Citation
Mersey, Ben; Jabbour, Rebecca S.; Brudvik, Kyle; and Defleur, Alban. Neanderthal hand and foot remains from Moula-Guercy, Ardèche, France (2013). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 152 (4), 516-529. 10.1002/ajpa.22389 [article]. https://digitalcommons.stmarys-ca.edu/school-science-faculty-works/69
Link to Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.22389
