Evidence of fatal skeletal injuries on Malapa Hominins 1 and 2

Ericka N. L'Abbe; Steven A. Symes; James T. Pokines; Luis L. Cabo; Kyra E. Stull; Sharon Kuo; David E. Raymond; Patrick S. Randolph-Quinney; Lee R. Berger

doi:10.1038/srep15120

Evidence of fatal skeletal injuries on Malapa Hominins 1 and 2

Ericka N. L'Abbe, Steven A. Symes, James T. Pokines, Luis L. Cabo, Kyra E. Stull, Sharon Kuo, David E. Raymond, Patrick S. Randolph-Quinney, Lee R. Berger

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Malapa is one of the richest early hominin sites in Africa and the discovery site of the hominin species, Australopithecus sediba. The holotype and paratype (Malapa Hominin 1 and 2, or MH1 and MH2, respectively) skeletons are among the most complete in the early hominin record. Dating to approximately two million years BP, MH1 and MH2 are hypothesized to have fallen into a natural pit trap. All fractures evident on MH1 and MH2 skeletons were evaluated and separated based on wet and dry bone fracture morphology/characteristics. Most observed fractures are post-depositional, but those in the right upper limb of the adult hominin strongly indicate active resistance to an impact, while those in the juvenile hominin mandible are consistent with a blow to the face. The presence of skeletal trauma independently supports the falling hypothesis and supplies the first evidence for the manner of death of an australopith in the fossil record that is not attributed to predation or natural death.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	15120
Journal	Scientific reports
Volume	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep15120
State	Published - Oct 13 2015
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
All data and images are available in the Malapa Collection at the Bernard Price Institute for Evolutionary Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. The authors extend thanks to the operations manager of the Malapa collection, Dr Bonita de Klerk, for her assistance in obtaining access to the various skeletal elements and micro CT scans of Au. sediba and to Carl Zeiss Vision South Africa, particularly Grant Martin and Raven Bikhari, for loaning the Zeiss Axio Zoom v.16 stereoscope to the University of the Witwatersrand for the analysis and photography of the Au. sediba remains. EN L’Abbé’s research is funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the authors and the NRF does not accept any liability for these.

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title = "Evidence of fatal skeletal injuries on Malapa Hominins 1 and 2",

abstract = "Malapa is one of the richest early hominin sites in Africa and the discovery site of the hominin species, Australopithecus sediba. The holotype and paratype (Malapa Hominin 1 and 2, or MH1 and MH2, respectively) skeletons are among the most complete in the early hominin record. Dating to approximately two million years BP, MH1 and MH2 are hypothesized to have fallen into a natural pit trap. All fractures evident on MH1 and MH2 skeletons were evaluated and separated based on wet and dry bone fracture morphology/characteristics. Most observed fractures are post-depositional, but those in the right upper limb of the adult hominin strongly indicate active resistance to an impact, while those in the juvenile hominin mandible are consistent with a blow to the face. The presence of skeletal trauma independently supports the falling hypothesis and supplies the first evidence for the manner of death of an australopith in the fossil record that is not attributed to predation or natural death.",

author = "L'Abbe, {Ericka N.} and Symes, {Steven A.} and Pokines, {James T.} and Cabo, {Luis L.} and Stull, {Kyra E.} and Sharon Kuo and Raymond, {David E.} and Randolph-Quinney, {Patrick S.} and Berger, {Lee R.}",

note = "Funding Information: All data and images are available in the Malapa Collection at the Bernard Price Institute for Evolutionary Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. The authors extend thanks to the operations manager of the Malapa collection, Dr Bonita de Klerk, for her assistance in obtaining access to the various skeletal elements and micro CT scans of Au. sediba and to Carl Zeiss Vision South Africa, particularly Grant Martin and Raven Bikhari, for loaning the Zeiss Axio Zoom v.16 stereoscope to the University of the Witwatersrand for the analysis and photography of the Au. sediba remains. EN L{\textquoteright}Abb{\'e}{\textquoteright}s research is funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the authors and the NRF does not accept any liability for these.",

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AU - Kuo, Sharon

AU - Raymond, David E.

AU - Randolph-Quinney, Patrick S.

AU - Berger, Lee R.

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N2 - Malapa is one of the richest early hominin sites in Africa and the discovery site of the hominin species, Australopithecus sediba. The holotype and paratype (Malapa Hominin 1 and 2, or MH1 and MH2, respectively) skeletons are among the most complete in the early hominin record. Dating to approximately two million years BP, MH1 and MH2 are hypothesized to have fallen into a natural pit trap. All fractures evident on MH1 and MH2 skeletons were evaluated and separated based on wet and dry bone fracture morphology/characteristics. Most observed fractures are post-depositional, but those in the right upper limb of the adult hominin strongly indicate active resistance to an impact, while those in the juvenile hominin mandible are consistent with a blow to the face. The presence of skeletal trauma independently supports the falling hypothesis and supplies the first evidence for the manner of death of an australopith in the fossil record that is not attributed to predation or natural death.

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Evidence of fatal skeletal injuries on Malapa Hominins 1 and 2

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