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Early evolution of small body size in Homo floresiensis

Author

Listed:
  • Yousuke Kaifu

    (The University of Tokyo)

  • Iwan Kurniawan

    (Geological Agency)

  • Soichiro Mizushima

    (St. Marianna University School of Medicine)

  • Junmei Sawada

    (Niigata University of Health and Welfare)

  • Michael Lague

    (Stockton University)

  • Ruly Setiawan

    (Geological Agency)

  • Indra Sutisna

    (Geological Agency)

  • Unggul P. Wibowo

    (Geological Agency)

  • Gen Suwa

    (The University of Tokyo)

  • Reiko T. Kono

    (Keio University)

  • Tomohiko Sasaki

    (Kyoto University)

  • Adam Brumm

    (Griffith University)

  • Gerrit D. van den Bergh

    (University of Wollongong)

Abstract

Recent discoveries of Homo floresiensis and H. luzonensis raise questions regarding how extreme body size reduction occurred in some extinct Homo species in insular environments. Previous investigations at Mata Menge, Flores Island, Indonesia, suggested that the early Middle Pleistocene ancestors of H. floresiensis had even smaller jaws and teeth. Here, we report additional hominin fossils from the same deposits at Mata Menge. An adult humerus is estimated to be 9 − 16% shorter and thinner than the type specimen of H. floresiensis dated to ~60,000 years ago, and is smaller than any other Plio-Pleistocene adult hominin humeri hitherto reported. The newly recovered teeth are both exceptionally small; one of them bears closer morphological similarities to early Javanese H. erectus. The H. floresiensis lineage most likely evolved from early Asian H. erectus and was a long-lasting lineage on Flores with markedly diminutive body size since at least ~700,000 years ago.

Suggested Citation

  • Yousuke Kaifu & Iwan Kurniawan & Soichiro Mizushima & Junmei Sawada & Michael Lague & Ruly Setiawan & Indra Sutisna & Unggul P. Wibowo & Gen Suwa & Reiko T. Kono & Tomohiko Sasaki & Adam Brumm & Gerri, 2024. "Early evolution of small body size in Homo floresiensis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-50649-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50649-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adam Brumm & Gerrit D. van den Bergh & Michael Storey & Iwan Kurniawan & Brent V. Alloway & Ruly Setiawan & Erick Setiyabudi & Rainer Grün & Mark W. Moore & Dida Yurnaldi & Mika R. Puspaningrum & Ungg, 2016. "Age and context of the oldest known hominin fossils from Flores," Nature, Nature, vol. 534(7606), pages 249-253, June.
    2. M. J. Morwood & P. Brown & Jatmiko & T. Sutikna & E. Wahyu Saptomo & K. E. Westaway & Rokus Awe Due & R. G. Roberts & T. Maeda & S. Wasisto & T. Djubiantono, 2005. "Further evidence for small-bodied hominins from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia," Nature, Nature, vol. 437(7061), pages 1012-1017, October.
    3. F. James Rohlf, 1999. "Shape Statistics: Procrustes Superimpositions and Tangent Spaces," Journal of Classification, Springer;The Classification Society, vol. 16(2), pages 197-223, July.
    4. Adam Brumm & Gitte M. Jensen & Gert D. van den Bergh & Michael J. Morwood & Iwan Kurniawan & Fachroel Aziz & Michael Storey, 2010. "Hominins on Flores, Indonesia, by one million years ago," Nature, Nature, vol. 464(7289), pages 748-752, April.
    5. Florent Détroit & Armand Salvador Mijares & Julien Corny & Guillaume Daver & Clément Zanolli & Eusebio Dizon & Emil Robles & Rainer Grün & Philip J. Piper, 2019. "A new species of Homo from the Late Pleistocene of the Philippines," Nature, Nature, vol. 568(7751), pages 181-186, April.
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