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Post-Cranial Skeletons of Hypothyroid Cretins Show a Similar Anatomical Mosaic as Homo floresiensis

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  • Charles Oxnard
  • Peter J Obendorf
  • Ben J Kefford

Abstract

Human remains, some as recent as 15 thousand years, from Liang Bua (LB) on the Indonesian island of Flores have been attributed to a new species, Homo floresiensis. The definition includes a mosaic of features, some like modern humans (hence derived: genus Homo), some like modern apes and australopithecines (hence primitive: not species sapiens), and some unique (hence new species: floresiensis). Conversely, because only modern humans (H. sapiens) are known in this region in the last 40 thousand years, these individuals have also been suggested to be genetic human dwarfs. Such dwarfs resemble small humans and do not show the mosaic combination of the most complete individuals, LB1 and LB6, so this idea has been largely dismissed. We have previously shown that some features of the cranium of hypothyroid cretins are like those of LB1. Here we examine cretin postcrania to see if they show anatomical mosaics like H. floresiensis. We find that hypothyroid cretins share at least 10 postcranial features with Homo floresiensis and unaffected humans not found in apes (or australopithecines when materials permit). They share with H. floresiensis, modern apes and australopithecines at least 11 postcranial features not found in unaffected humans. They share with H. floresiensis, at least 8 features not found in apes, australopithecines or unaffected humans. Sixteen features can be rendered metrically and multivariate analyses demonstrate that H. floresiensis co-locates with cretins, both being markedly separate from humans and chimpanzees (P 0.999). We therefore conclude that LB1 and LB6, at least, are, most likely, endemic cretins from a population of unaffected Homo sapiens. This is consistent with recent hypothyroid endemic cretinism throughout Indonesia, including the nearby island of Bali.

Suggested Citation

  • Charles Oxnard & Peter J Obendorf & Ben J Kefford, 2010. "Post-Cranial Skeletons of Hypothyroid Cretins Show a Similar Anatomical Mosaic as Homo floresiensis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(9), pages 1-11, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0013018
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. W. L. Jungers & W. E. H. Harcourt-Smith & R. E. Wunderlich & M. W. Tocheri & S. G. Larson & T. Sutikna & Rhokus Awe Due & M. J. Morwood, 2009. "The foot of Homo floresiensis," Nature, Nature, vol. 459(7243), pages 81-84, May.
    2. 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.
    3. P. Brown & T. Sutikna & M. J. Morwood & R. P. Soejono & Jatmiko & E. Wayhu Saptomo & Rokus Awe Due, 2004. "A new small-bodied hominin from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia," Nature, Nature, vol. 431(7012), pages 1055-1061, October.
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