The endocast of the Omo L338y‐6 Juvenile Hominid: gracile or robust Australopithecus?

Abstract

AbstractThis report is a description of a reconstructed endocast of the Omo L338y‐6 Juvenile Hominid, which has been attributed by Rak and Howell (1978) to the Australopithecus boisei taxon. The reconstructed volume obtained is 427 ml. For a variety of reasons, including the specimen's low endocranial volume, the author regards it more likely that this specimen should be attributed to a gracile line of Australopithecus. In addition to having a low endocranial volume, the cerebellar morphology is more reminiscent of the gracile form, the meningeal patterns (as per Saban, 1978) are more indicative of a gracile than robust pattern, and there is no occipital marginal sinus traversing either side of the foramen magnum.