Digit ratios predict polygyny in early apes, Ardipithecus, Neanderthals and early modern humans but not in Australopithecus

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Volumn 278, Issue 1711, 2011, Pages 1556-1563

  Nelson, Emma ^a   Rolian, Campbell ^b   Cashmore, Lisa ^c   Shultz, Susanne ^d  

^a UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY   (Canada)

^c UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON   (United Kingdom)

^d UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Hominin; Pair bonded; Polygyny; Prenatal androgens; Second to fourth digit length ratio; Social system

Indexed keywords

ANATOMY; ANDROGEN; BIOMARKER; BODY SIZE; ESTIMATION METHOD; EXTINCTION; FOSSIL RECORD; HOMINID; INTRASEXUAL INTERACTION; POLYGYNY; POPULATION STRUCTURE; SEXUAL DIMORPHISM; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR;

ARDIPITHECUS; ARDIPITHECUS RAMIDUS; AUSTRALOPITHECUS; AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFARENSIS; HOMINOIDEA; HOMO; PIEROLAPITHECUS CATALAUNICUS;

EID: 79954513085     PISSN: 09628452     EISSN: 14712970     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1740     Document Type: Article

References (48)

1. Plavcan, M. J. & van Schaik, C. P. 1992 Intrasexual competition and canine dimorphism in anthropoid primates. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 87, 461-477. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330870407)
2. Lockwood, C. A., Menter, C. G., Moggie-Cecchi, J. & Keyser, A. W. 2007 Extended male growth in a fossil hominin species. Science 318, 1443-1446. (doi:10.1126/science.1149211)
3. Plavcan, M. J. 2004 Sexual selection, measures of sexual selection, and sexual dimorphism in primates. In Sexual selection in primates: new and comparative perspectives on sexual selection, measures of sexual selection, and sexual dimorphism in primates (eds P. Kappeler & C. van Schaik), pp. 230-353. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
4. Reno, P. L., Meindl, R. S., McCollum, M. A. & Lovejoy, C. O. 2003 Sexual dimorphism in Australopithecus afarensis was similar to that of modern humans. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 9404-9409. (doi:10.1073/pnas. 1133180100)
5. Plavcan, M. J., Ward, C. V. & Paulus, F. L. 2009 Estimating canine tooth crown height in early Australopithecus. J. Hum. Evol. 57, 2-10. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.04.005)
6. Gordon, A. D., Green, D. J. & Richmond, B. G. 2008 Strong postcranial size dimorphism in Australopithecus afarensis: results from two new resampling methods for multivariate data sets with missing data. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 135, 311-328. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.20745)
7. Scott, J. E., Schrein, C. M. & Kelly, J. 2009 Beyond Gorilla and Pongo: alternative models for evaluations variation and sexual dimorphism in fossil hominoid samples. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 140, 253-264. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.21059)
8. Lovejoy, C. O. 1981 The origin of man. Science 211, 341-350. (doi:10.1126/science.211.4480.341)
9. Plavcan, J. M., Lockwood, C. A., Kimbel, W. H., Lague, M. R. & Harmon, E. H. 2005 Sexual dimorphism in Australopithecus afarensis revisited: how strong is the case for a human-like pattern of dimorphism? J. Hum. Evol. 49, 279-288. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.09.006)
10. Reno, P. L., Meindl, R. S., McCollum, M. A. & Lovejoy, C. O. 2005 The case is unchanged and remains robust: Australopithecus afarensis exhibits only moderate skeletal dimorphism. A reply to Plavcan et al. (2005). J. Hum. Evol. 49, 279-288. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2005.04.008)
11. Scott, J. E. & Stroik, L. K. 2006 Bootstrap tests of significance and the case for humanlike skeletal-size dimorphism in Australopithecus afarensis. J. Hum. Evol. 51, 422-428. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.06.001)
12. Lovejoy, C. O. 2009 Reexamining human origins in the light of Ardipithecus ramidus. Science 326, 74e1-78. (doi:10.1126/science.1175834)
13. Ruff, C. 2010 Body size and body shape in early hominins- implications of the Gona pelvis. J. Hum. Evol. 58, 166- 178. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.10.003)
14. Arsuaga, J. L., Carretero, J.M., Lorenzom, C., Garcia, A., Martinez, I., Bermudez de Castro, J. M. & Carbonell, E. 1997 Size variation in Middle Pleistocene humans. Science 277, 1086-1088. (doi:10.1126/science.277.5329.1086)
15. Brown, P. & Maeda, T. 2009 Liang Bua Homo floresiensis mandibles and mandibular teeth: a contribution to the comparative morphology of a new hominin species. J. Hum. Evol. 57, 571-596. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.06.002)
16. Trinkaus, E. 1980 Sexual differences in Neanderthal limb bones. J. Hum. Evol. 9, 377-397. (doi:10.1016/0047-2484(80)90049-4)
17. Begun, D. R. 2004 The three 'Cs' of behavioural reconstruction in fossil primates. J. Hum. Evol 46, 497-505. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.01.003)
18. Manning, J. T. 2002 Digit ratio: a pointer to fertility, health, and behavior. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
19. Manning, J. T. 2007 The finger book. London, UK: Faber and Faber.
20. Manning, J. T., Baron-Cohen, S. & Sanders, G. 2001 The 2nd to 4th digit ratio and autism. Dev. Med. Child. Neurol. 43, 160-164.
21. Hönekopp, J. & Watson, S. 2010 Meta-analysis of digit ratio 2D: 4D shows greater sex difference in the right hand. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22, 619-630. (doi:10.1002/ajhb.2105427)
22. Cattrall, F., Vollenhoven, B. & Weston, G. 2005 Anatomical evidence for in utero androgen exposure in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil. Steril. 84, 1689- 1692. (doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.05.061)
23. Lujan, M.E., Bloski, T. G., Chizen, D. R., Lehotay, D. C.& Pierson, R. A. 2010 Digit ratios do not serve as anatomical evidence of prenatal androgen exposure in clinical phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum. Reprod. 25, 204-211. (doi:10.1093/humrep/dep363)
24. Berenbaum, S. A., Korman-Bryk, K., Nowak, N., Quigley, C. A. & Moffat, S. 2009 Finger as a marker of prenatal androgen exposure. Endocrinology 150, 5119-5124. (doi:10.1210/en.2009-0774)
25. Nelson, E., Hoffman, C. L., Gerald, M. S. & Shultz, S. 2010 Finger length ratios (2D: 4D) and female dominance rank in rhesus macaques from Cayo Santiago. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 64, 1001-1009. (doi:10.1007/s00265-010-0915-2)
26. Nelson, E. & Shultz, S. 2010 Finger length ratios (2D: 4D) in anthropoids implicate reduced prenatal androgens in social bonding. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 141, 395-405. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.21157)
27. McIntyre, M.H., Herrmann, E., Wobber, V., Halbwax, M., Mohamba, C., de Sousa, N., Atencia, R., Cox, D. & Hare, B. 2009 Bonobos have amore human-like second-to-fourth finger length ratio (2D:4D) than chimpanzees: a hypothesized indication of lower prenatal androgens. J. Hum. Evol. 56, 361-365. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.12.004)
28. Landsmeer, J. M. F. 1955 Anatomical and functional investigations of the articulation of the human fingers. Acta Anat. Suppl. 24-2, 1-69.
29. Susman, R. L. 1979 Comparative and functional morphology of the hominoid fingers. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 50, 215-236. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330500211)
30. Christensen, A. M. 2009 Techniques for siding the manual phalanges. Forensic Sci. Int. 193, 84-87. (doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.09.012)
31. Rolian, C. 2009 Integration and evolvability in primate hands and feet. Evol. Biol. 36, 100-117. (doi:10.1007/s11692-009-9049-8)
32. Rohlf, F. J. 2005 TPSDig2. Stony Brook, NY: State University of New York.
33. Case, D. T. & Heilman, J. 2006 New siding techniques for the manual phalanges: a blind test. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol. 16, 338-346. (doi:10.1002/oa.826)
34. Bush, M. E., Lovejoy, C. O., Johanson, D. C. & Coppens, Y. 1982 Hominid carpal, metacarpal, and phalangeal bones recovered from the Hadar formation: 1974-1977 collections. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 57, 651-677. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330570410)
35. Alba, D. M., Moya-Sola, S. &Kö hler, M. 2003 Morphological affinities of the Australopithecus afarensis hand on the basis of manual proportions and relative thumb length. J. Hum. Evol. 44, 225-254. (doi:10.1016/S0047-2484(02)00207-5)
36. Lovejoy, C. O., Simpson, S. W., White, T. D., Asfaw, B. & Suwa, G. 2009 Careful climbing in the Miocene: the forelimbs of Ardipithecus ramidus and humans are primitive (Supplementary material table 2). Science 326, 70-78. (doi: 10.1126/science.1175827).
37. Almécija, S., Alba, D. M., Moya Sola, S. &Köhler, M. 2007 Orang-like manual adaptations in the fossil hominoid record Hispanopithecus laietanus: first steps towards great ape suspensory behaviours. Proc. R. Soc. B 274, 2375-2384. (doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.0750)
38. Alme ́cija, S., Alba, D. M. &Moya Sola, S. 2009 Pierolapithecus and the functional morphology of Miocene ape hand phalanges: paleobiological and evolutionary implications. J. Hum. Evol. 57, 284-297. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.02.008)
39. Musgrave, J. H. 1971 How dextrous was Neanderthal man? Nature 233, 538-541. (doi:10.1038/233538a0)
40. Dunbar, R. I. M. 2009 Deacon's dilemma: the problem of pairbonding in human evolution. In Social brain, divided minds (eds R. I. M. Dunbar, C. Gamble & J. A. G. Gowlett), Proceedings of the British Academy. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
41. Manning, J. T., Churchill, A. J. G. & Peters, M. 2007 The effects of sex, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on self-measured digit ratio (2D: 4D). Arch. Sex. Behav. 36, 223-233. (doi:10.1007/s10508-007-9171-6)
42. Richmond, B. G. 2007 Biomechanics of phalangeal curvature. J. Hum. Evol. 53, 678-690. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.05.011)
43. Lindenfors, P. & Tullberg, B. S. 1998 Phylogenetic analyses of primate size evolution: the consequences of sexual selection. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 64, 413-447. (doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1998.tb00342.x)
44. Manning, J. T. et al. 2000 The 2nd to 4th digit ratio, sexual dimorphism, population differences, and reproductive success: evidence for sexually antagonistic genes? Evol. Hum. Behav. 21, 163-183. (doi:10.1016/S1090-5138(00)00029-5)
45. Møller, V. & Welch, G. J. 1990 Polygamy, economic security and wellbeing of retired Zulu migrant workers. J. Cross. Cult. Gerontol. 5, 205-216. (doi:10.1007/BF00116999)
46. Dupanloup, I., Pereira, L., Bertorelle, G., Calafell, F., Prata, M. J., Amorim, A. & Barbujani, G. 2003 A recent shift from polygyny to monogamy in humans is suggested by the analysis of worldwide Y-chromosome diversity. J. Mol. Evol. 57, 85-97. (doi:10.1007/s00239-003-2458-x)
47. Manning, J. T., Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S. & Fink, B. 2010 Is digit ratio (2D: 4D) related to systemizing and empathizing? Evidence from direct finger measurements reported in the BBC internet survey. Pers. Individ. Differ. 48, 767-771. (doi:10.1016/j.paid.2010.01.030)
48. Guatelli-Steinberg, D. & Reid, D. J. 2010 The distribution of perikymata on Qafzeh anterior teeth. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 141, 152-157. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.21158)