Exploring occipital bone morphology in Homo fossils: A geometric morphometric approach using Elliptical Fourier Analysis
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1The application of geometric morphometrics to fossils is often limited by the preservation quality and the scarcity of measurable landmarks. This challenge is exemplified by a newly discovered occipital bone fragment from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Ciota Ciara (Piedmont, Italy). The fragment preserves only four landmarks (lambda, inion, external occipital crest, and left asterion), which are insufficient for a comprehensive morphological analysis. To address this limitation, we present a straightforward yet effective method to investigate the occipital bone profile using Elliptical Fourier Analysis (EFA). The proposed protocol involves digitizing three landmarks and tracing a curve along which a series of semi-landmarks are automatically positioned at equidistant intervals. A subsequent Elliptical Fourier Analysis is performed on the outlines, following dimensionality reduction via Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Procrustes alignment. The resulting Fourier descriptors are then subjected to multivariate analysis. To explore the conformation and variability of the occipital bun within the genus Homo, particularly in Neanderthals, we have constructed a reference collection. This collection includes fossils from the European Late Middle Pleistocene, as well as specimens representing Homo erectus s.l., Upper Paleolithic populations, and recent modern humans. As expected, our results clearly differentiate the occipital morphology of Homo erectus from that of other specimens. While the Pre-Neanderthal and Neanderthal fossils exhibit significant morphological variability, the so-called "classic" Neanderthals tend to cluster near the mean shape, whereas Early Neanderthals display a broader range of configurations. In conclusion, these preliminary results highlight the potential of this method for examining the external profile of the occipital bone. Expanding the reference collection may offer further insights into other questions, such as sexual dimorphism and ontogeny of this skeletal region.
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Julie Arnaud et Riccardo Frittitta, « Exploring occipital bone morphology in Homo fossils: A geometric morphometric approach using Elliptical Fourier Analysis », Bulletins et mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris [En ligne], 37(S) | 2025, mis en ligne le 16 janvier 2025, consulté le 10 février 2025. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/bmsap/14544 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/133no
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