Critique of ‘Australopithecus afarensis’ as a single species based on dental metrics and morphology

Abstract

Leonard andHegmon (1987) compare a series of dental metrics of ‘Australopithecus afarensisJohanson, White, andCoppens, 1978’ with criteria for modern apes, to test the hypothesis that ‘A. afarensis’ represents a single species. They also compare the morphology of the lower third premolar. The dental breadth of ‘A. afarensis’ shows a wide range of variation, particularly in the lower third premolar morphology which displays greater variation than in modern apes—yet the study concludes that the single species hypothesis cannot be rejected.