Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

Lee R. Berger; John Hawks; Darryl J. de Ruiter; Steven E. Churchill; Peter Schmid; Lucas K. Delezene; Tracy L. Kivell; Heather M. Garvin; Scott A. Williams; Jeremy M. DeSilva; Matthew M. Skinner; Charles M. Musiba; Noel Cameron; Trenton W. Holliday; William Harcourt-Smith; Rebecca R. Ackermann; Markus Bastir; Barry Bogin; Debra Bolter; Juliet Brophy; Zachary D. Cofran; Kimberly A. Congdon; Andrew S. Deane; Mana Dembo; Michelle Drapeau; Marina C. Elliott; Elen M. Feuerriegel; Daniel Garcia-Martinez; David J. Green; Alia Gurtov; Joel D. Irish; Ashley Kruger; Myra F. Laird; Damiano Marchi; Marc R. Meyer; Shahed Nalla; Enquye W. Negash; Caley M. Orr; Davorka Radovcic; Lauren Schroeder; Jill E. Scott; Zachary Throckmorton; Matthew W. Tocheri; Caroline VanSickle; Christopher S. Walker; Pianpian Wei; Bernhard Zipfel

doi:10.7554/eLife.09560

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

Lee R. Berger, John Hawks, Darryl J. de Ruiter, Steven E. Churchill, Peter Schmid, Lucas K. Delezene, Tracy L. Kivell, Heather M. Garvin, Scott A. Williams, Jeremy M. DeSilva, Matthew M. Skinner, Charles M. Musiba, Noel Cameron, Trenton W. Holliday, William Harcourt-Smith, Rebecca R. Ackermann, Markus Bastir, Barry Bogin, Debra Bolter, Juliet BrophyZachary D. Cofran, Kimberly A. Congdon, Andrew S. Deane, Mana Dembo, Michelle Drapeau, Marina C. Elliott, Elen M. Feuerriegel, Daniel Garcia-Martinez, David J. Green, Alia Gurtov, Joel D. Irish, Ashley Kruger, Myra F. Laird, Damiano Marchi, Marc R. Meyer, Shahed Nalla, Enquye W. Negash, Caley M. Orr, Davorka Radovcic, Lauren Schroeder, Jill E. Scott, Zachary Throckmorton, Matthew W. Tocheri, Caroline VanSickle, Christopher S. Walker, Pianpian Wei, Bernhard Zipfel

Human Anatomy and Physiology

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

357 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.

Original language	English
Article number	e09560
Journal	eLife
Volume	4
Issue number	September2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09560
Publication status	Published - 10 Sept 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience
General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Immunology and Microbiology

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10.7554/eLife.09560

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Berger, L. R., Hawks, J., de Ruiter, D. J., Churchill, S. E., Schmid, P., Delezene, L. K., Kivell, T. L., Garvin, H. M., Williams, S. A., DeSilva, J. M., Skinner, M. M., Musiba, C. M., Cameron, N., Holliday, T. W., Harcourt-Smith, W., Ackermann, R. R., Bastir, M., Bogin, B., Bolter, D., ... Zipfel, B. (2015). Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa. eLife, 4(September2015), Article e09560. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09560

@article{cd66e8d4ff1c41729f931e1c4a478dea,

title = "Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa",

abstract = "Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.",

author = "Berger, {Lee R.} and John Hawks and {de Ruiter}, {Darryl J.} and Churchill, {Steven E.} and Peter Schmid and Delezene, {Lucas K.} and Kivell, {Tracy L.} and Garvin, {Heather M.} and Williams, {Scott A.} and DeSilva, {Jeremy M.} and Skinner, {Matthew M.} and Musiba, {Charles M.} and Noel Cameron and Holliday, {Trenton W.} and William Harcourt-Smith and Ackermann, {Rebecca R.} and Markus Bastir and Barry Bogin and Debra Bolter and Juliet Brophy and Cofran, {Zachary D.} and Congdon, {Kimberly A.} and Deane, {Andrew S.} and Mana Dembo and Michelle Drapeau and Elliott, {Marina C.} and Feuerriegel, {Elen M.} and Daniel Garcia-Martinez and Green, {David J.} and Alia Gurtov and Irish, {Joel D.} and Ashley Kruger and Laird, {Myra F.} and Damiano Marchi and Meyer, {Marc R.} and Shahed Nalla and Negash, {Enquye W.} and Orr, {Caley M.} and Davorka Radovcic and Lauren Schroeder and Scott, {Jill E.} and Zachary Throckmorton and Tocheri, {Matthew W.} and Caroline VanSickle and Walker, {Christopher S.} and Pianpian Wei and Bernhard Zipfel",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Berger et al.",

year = "2015",

month = sep,

day = "10",

doi = "10.7554/eLife.09560",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

journal = "eLife",

issn = "2050-084X",

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Berger, LR, Hawks, J, de Ruiter, DJ, Churchill, SE, Schmid, P, Delezene, LK, Kivell, TL, Garvin, HM, Williams, SA, DeSilva, JM, Skinner, MM, Musiba, CM, Cameron, N, Holliday, TW, Harcourt-Smith, W, Ackermann, RR, Bastir, M, Bogin, B, Bolter, D, Brophy, J, Cofran, ZD, Congdon, KA, Deane, AS, Dembo, M, Drapeau, M, Elliott, MC, Feuerriegel, EM, Garcia-Martinez, D, Green, DJ, Gurtov, A, Irish, JD, Kruger, A, Laird, MF, Marchi, D, Meyer, MR, Nalla, S, Negash, EW, Orr, CM, Radovcic, D, Schroeder, L, Scott, JE, Throckmorton, Z, Tocheri, MW, VanSickle, C, Walker, CS, Wei, P & Zipfel, B 2015, 'Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa', eLife, vol. 4, no. September2015, e09560. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09560

TY - JOUR

T1 - Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

AU - Berger, Lee R.

AU - Hawks, John

AU - de Ruiter, Darryl J.

AU - Churchill, Steven E.

AU - Schmid, Peter

AU - Delezene, Lucas K.

AU - Kivell, Tracy L.

AU - Garvin, Heather M.

AU - Williams, Scott A.

AU - DeSilva, Jeremy M.

AU - Skinner, Matthew M.

AU - Musiba, Charles M.

AU - Cameron, Noel

AU - Holliday, Trenton W.

AU - Harcourt-Smith, William

AU - Ackermann, Rebecca R.

AU - Bastir, Markus

AU - Bogin, Barry

AU - Bolter, Debra

AU - Brophy, Juliet

AU - Cofran, Zachary D.

AU - Congdon, Kimberly A.

AU - Deane, Andrew S.

AU - Dembo, Mana

AU - Drapeau, Michelle

AU - Elliott, Marina C.

AU - Feuerriegel, Elen M.

AU - Garcia-Martinez, Daniel

AU - Green, David J.

AU - Gurtov, Alia

AU - Irish, Joel D.

AU - Kruger, Ashley

AU - Laird, Myra F.

AU - Marchi, Damiano

AU - Meyer, Marc R.

AU - Nalla, Shahed

AU - Negash, Enquye W.

AU - Orr, Caley M.

AU - Radovcic, Davorka

AU - Schroeder, Lauren

AU - Scott, Jill E.

AU - Throckmorton, Zachary

AU - Tocheri, Matthew W.

AU - VanSickle, Caroline

AU - Walker, Christopher S.

AU - Wei, Pianpian

AU - Zipfel, Bernhard

PY - 2015/9/10

Y1 - 2015/9/10

N2 - Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.

AB - Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84942027491&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.7554/eLife.09560

DO - 10.7554/eLife.09560

M3 - Article

C2 - 26354291

AN - SCOPUS:84942027491

SN - 2050-084X

VL - 4

JO - eLife

JF - eLife

IS - September2015

M1 - e09560

ER -

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

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