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May 30, 2005
Where One Finds Island Dwarfism One Should Not Be Surprised to Find Island Dwarfism
I haven't said anything about Homo floresiensis for a while. One of the things that has come up repeatedly is the presence of other "little people" on Flores Island. The Time Asia Magazine has an article on modern day "Pigmies" that live on the island and how their presence and beliefs about their own origins are coloring the debate over Homo floresiensis.
You will remember that the discoverers proposed the Homo floresiensis was a new species of humanoid and their small stature was due to "island dwarfism." While others, Teuku Jacob for example, have claimed that LB1 the most complete specimen of Homo floresiensis is a small microcephalic Homo sapiens.
I thought the study by Dean Falk of the brain case of Homo floresiensis solved this issue. See Carl Zimmer and PZ Myers report on the Falk study for good reviews of the brain case evidence.
My amateur take on this is that Homo floresiensis is a new species or perhaps a smaller sub-species of Homo erectus that became small as a result of island dwarfism and that the current small inhabitants of the island are Homo sapiens who became small as a result of island dwarfism. These arguments may be nothing more than a case of convergent evolution, in this case reduced stature, misread as evidence for identity of species.
I look forward to reading the opinions of those who are not amateurs and I will report whatever seems relevant.
Posted by Duane Smith at May 30, 2005 1:34 PM | Read more on Paleoanthropology |
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