The outside model of DH2 (blue), consisting of the original examine matched on echo image, ended up being posted and you will lined up for the echo-imaged DHstep 1 model (pink). Notice the fresh new similarity in size and you will profile ranging from DH1 and you will DH2 seen in the posterior (A) prior (B) lateral (C) and you can superior (D) views.

Differential analysis

The latest cranium off H. naledi is different from Australopithecus sediba (Berger mais aussi al., 2010) inside exhibiting sagittal keeling, an even more noticable supraorbital torus and you will supratoral sulcus, a great weakly arched supraorbital figure which have circular lateral sides, an angular torus, a proper-defined supramastoid crest, a bent advanced good, a-root of one’s zygomatic procedure of brand new temporal which is tilted down everything 31° in line with FH, a flattened nasoalveolar clivus, weakened canine juga, an anteriorly arranged foot of the zygomatic procedure for the fresh new maxilla, and a relatively wider palate which is anteriorly low. The fresh H. naledi mandible (DH1) has actually an emotional foramen arranged superiorly for the corpus that opens up posteriorly, unlike brand new mid-corpus height, way more sideways starting mental foramen out-of Bien au. sediba. The fresh maxillary and you may mandibular teeth out-of H. naledi was smaller than those of Bien au. sediba, having mandibular molars that will be buccolingually narrow. The fresh lingual mesial and you may distal marginal ridges do not merge on to this new cervical prominence in the maxillary I 2 , brand new paracone of your own maxillary P 3 are equivalent in proportions to your protocone, this new protoconid and you may metaconid of the mandibular molars are just as mesially positioned, and the lingual cusps of your molars are positioned during the occlusobuccal margin since buccal cusps are placed a little lingual to brand new occlusobuccal margin. And, Au. sediba shares along with other australopiths a protostylid that is centrally located and you can hence intersects new buccal groove of your own straight down molars, in place of the tiny and mesiobuccally limited protostylid that doesn’t intersect the fresh new buccal groove into the H. naledi.

H. naledi lacks the reduced cranial height of Homo floresiensis, and displays a marked angular torus and parasagittal keeling between bregma and lambda that is absent in the latter species. H. naledi further has a flat and squared nasoalveolar clivus, unlike the pronounced maxillary canine juga and prominent pillars of H. floresiensis. The mandible of H. floresiensis shows a posteriorly inclined post incisive planum with superior and inferior transverse tori, differing from the steeply inclined posterior face of the H. naledi mandibular symphysis, which lacks both a post incisive planum or a superior transverse torus. Dentally, H. naledi is distinguishable from H. floresiensis by the mesiodistal elongation and extensive talonid of the mandibular P₄, and the lack of Tomes’ root on the mandibular premolars. The molar size gradient of H. naledi follows the M1 < M2>

H1 is actually different to hands remains associated with Paranthropus robustus/very early Homo off Swartkrans (Susman, 1988; Susman et al., 2001) within the that have a relatively quick Mc1 feet and you will proximal articular factors, a seat-designed Mc5-hamate shared, and much more rounded proximal and intermediate phalanges of ray 2–5.

Breakdown

At the posteroinferior the quantity of your temporary outlines, it curve anteroinferiorly to provide a well-developed angular torus. This new crania features an excellent pentagonal details from inside the posterior consider, to the most useful vault depth located in the supramastoid part. The fresh nuchal region exhibits sexually dimorphic growth of nuchal strength markings in addition to additional occipital protuberance, as there are an obvious indication of a great tuberculum linearum from inside the inclusion on external occipital protuberance. During the superior view the vault tapers out-of posterior so you can prior, although article-orbital constriction try limited. New squamosal suture try reduced and carefully curved, and you may parietal striae are laid out. This new lateral margins of orbits deal with sideways. A small zygomaticofacial foramen is generally establish nearby the cardio from the latest zygomatic limbs. The underlying of zygomatic procedure for the fresh maxilla are anteriorly organized, at quantity of the fresh new P 3 or even the P cuatro .

In comparison to H. habilis, H. rudolfensis, and H. erectus, the teeth of H. naledi are not only small, but also markedly simple in crown morphology. Maxillary and mandibular molars lack extensive crenulation, secondary fissures and supernumerary cusps. The M 1 has an equal-sized metacone and paracone, and has a slight expression of Carabelli’s trait represented by a small cusp or shallow pit. I 1 exhibits slight occlusal curvature with trace marginal ridges and variably small tuberculum dentale. I 2 exhibits greater occlusal curvature and tuberculum dentale expression but neither upper incisor has double shovelling or interruption groove. The mandibular canines of H. naledi have a small occlusal area, and have a distal marginal cuspule as a topographically distinct expression of the cingular margin. The P₃ is double-rooted, fully bicuspid with metaconid and protoconid of approximately equal height and occlusal area separated by a distinct longitudinal groove, has a distally extensive talonid, and an occlusal outline approximately symmetrical with respect to the mesiodistal axis. P₄ likewise has a distally extensive talonid and approximately symmetrical occlusal outline (Figure 5). M₁ and M₂ lack cusp 6 and cusp 7, except for very slight expression in a small fraction of specimens, and have a very faint subvertical depression rather than a distinct or extensive protostylid. Like australopiths and some early Homo specimens , H. naledi has an increasing molar size gradient in the mandibular dentition (M1 < M2>