La Trobe

We the hunted

journal contribution
posted on 2024-12-19, 00:47 authored by Jess MartinJess Martin, Angeline LeeceAngeline Leece, Andrew HerriesAndrew Herries, Stephanie E Baker, David S Strait
Classic depictions of human evolutionary ecology cast Homo as predator and other hominins, including Paranthropus robustus, as prey. Such hypotheses rest on a small number of fossils that exhibit evidence of carnivore predation, including the iconic SK 54 cranium from Swartkrans in South Africa. Here we demonstrate that the SK 54 cranium shares its closest affinities with H. erectus sensu lato rather than P. robustus. Demonstrating that Homo was prey for leopards at Swartkrans weakens the historically significant hypothesis that Homo was better able to avoid predation because of being behaviourally and technologically advanced compared to Paranthropus. Subsequent ideas about hominin palaeobiology derived from this hypothesis warrant reconsideration.

Funding

Evolving landscapes of our early South African ancestors

Australian Research Council

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History

Publication Date

2024-03-27

Journal

South African Journal of Science

Volume

120

Issue

3/4

Article Number

16387

Pagination

5p.

Publisher

Academy of Science of South Africa

ISSN

0038-2353

Rights Statement

© The Authors 2024. Pubilshed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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