Abstract
Body mass changes in the Hominini are examined from an evolutionary perspective. Among the conclusions drawn from this examination are the following: 1.) hominids (sensu lato) are among the largest and most terrestrial primates; 2.) early Homo is on average larger in size than Australopithecus (although the two taxa do show some size overlap); 3.) following its emergence in the early Pleistocene, Homo shows a steady increase in body mass, reaching its maximum near the end of the middle Pleistocene; 4.) Homo subsequently decreases in size throughout the late Pleistocene and into the Holocene, only to increase in size again very recently (the so-called “secular trend”); 5.) body mass variation among humans today tends to follow well-known ecogeographical “rules”, which are empirical observations with multiple potential theoretical explanations.
Résumé
Les changements de la masse corporelle des Hominini sont examinés dans une perspective évolutive. Les conclusions de cette étude sont: 1.) les hominidés (lato sensu) sont parmi les primates les plus grands et les plus terrestres; 2.) les premiers membres du genre Homo sont en moyenne plus grands que les membres du genre Australopithecus; 3.) la masse corporelle dans le genre Homo augmente du Pléistocène inférieur au Pléistocène moyen, pour atteindre un maximum; 4.) puis, il y a une baisse de lamasse corporelle du Pléistocène moyen à l’Holocène, sauf pour la récente augmentation de la masse corporelle en raison de la « tendance séculaire » mondiale; 5.) la variation de la masse du corps parmi les groupes humains d’aujourd’hui montre une tendance à suivre la règle de Bergmann, une observation empirique qui a plusieurs explications théorétiques potentielles.
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Holliday, T.W. The significance of changes in body mass in human evolution. BMSAP 27, 101–109 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13219-015-0133-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13219-015-0133-6