Cranial Fragments Research Articles

Early Agenian rhinocerotids from Wischberg (Canton Bern, Switzerland) and clarification of the systematics of the genus Diaceratherium.

BackgroundWischberg is a Swiss locality in Bern Canton which has yielded numerous vertebrates remains from the earliest Miocene (= MN1). It has a very rich faunal diversity, one of the richest in Switzerland for this age. Among all the mammals reported in the original faunal list 70 years ago, three rhinocerotid species were identified. The material consists of two fragmentary skulls, cranial fragments, several mandibles, teeth and postcranial bones, in a rather good state of preservation.ResultsAfter reexamination of the material from this locality (curated in three different Swiss museums) and comparison with holotype specimens, we show that all rhinocerotid specimens from Wischberg can be referred to two species only. Most of the material can be attributed to the large-sized teleoceratine Diaceratherium lemanense, while only a few specimens, including a skull and mandible, belong to the much smaller sized Pleuroceros pleuroceros. We describe and illustrate for the first time most of these fossil remains. However, the systematics of the genus Diaceratherium is currently controversial, and based on our new observations we consider seven species as valid, though a large-scale phylogenetic study should be done in the future to resolve it. The rhinocerotid association found in Wischberg is nonetheless typical of the MN1 biozone, which results from a faunal renewal occurring just before the end of the Oligocene.

First evidence of Pleistocene Bubalus murrensis in France and the stratigraphic occurrences of Bubalus in Europe

Remains of Bubalus murrensis, a thermophile bovid, are very rare in the Pleistocene interglacial faunas of Europe. The new specimen collected from the Atlantic shoreline in the Medoc (France) extents the realm of this genus far into the West, whereas the most eastern occurrence is in Romania. The fossil fragment of a horn core most probably originates from exposed interglacial deposits that are attributed to the Holsteinian (MIS 11). The Pleistocene remains of Bubalus are reviewed. All of them represent the same species B. murrensis. Sites that are well stratified belong to the Middle Pleistocene (MIS 9 and/or 11). The Upper Rhine Basin yielded about 20 cranial fragments with an assumed Eemian age. It is, however, possible that these finds predate the Eamian, hence, there is no indisputable evidence for the occurrence of Bubalus in Europe during the Eemian.

Knappach Toll, Balbridie: a late 3rd-millennium bc Beaker burial on Deeside, Aberdeenshire

A short cist discovered during ploughing at Knappach Toll on Balbridie Farm, Aberdeenshire held the remains of an adult accompanied by a Beaker, fragments of a copper awl and 11 struck flints. Little survived of the skeleton except for cranial fragments, but these indicate that the person had been placed with the head to the west, with the artefacts also at that end. While the sex of the person is indeterminate, with the single surviving sexual dimorphic trait suggesting a male, the position of the body and the presence of the awl are more usually indicative of a female. Radiocarbon dating shows that the person died between 3775±35 years bp (SUERC-30852) and 2330–2040 cal bc (95.4% probability). Stable isotope analysis indicates that he or she grew up on basalt geology, like that of the region, or on chalk. Residue analysis of the Beaker has established that it had held ruminant animal fat such as butter or milk, probably for some time, and some of the flint pieces had been lightly used. The composition and constituents of the burial suggest links between north-east Scotland and East Yorkshire. They also evoke the cultural practices that were spreading across eastern Britain in the later 3rd millennium bc through the mechanisms of cultural transmission and migration.

Knappach Toll, Balbridie

A short cist discovered during ploughing at Knappach Toll on Balbridie Farm, Aberdeenshire (NGR: NO 7369 9595) held the remains of an adult accompanied by a Beaker, fragments of a copper awl and 11 struck flints. Little survived of the skeleton except for cranial fragments, but these indicate that the person had been placed with the head to the west, with the artefacts also at that end. While the sex of the person is indeterminate, with the single surviving sexual dimorphic trait suggesting a male, the position of the body and the presence of the awl are more usually indicative of a female. Radiocarbon dating shows that the person died between 3775±35 years BP (SUERC-30852) and 2330–2040 cal BC (95.4% probability). Stable isotope analysis indicates that he or she grew up on basalt geology, like that of the region, or on chalk. Residue analysis of the Beaker has established that it had held ruminant animal fat such as butter or milk, probably for some time, and some of the flint pieces had been lightly used. The composition and constituents of the burial suggest links between north-east Scotland and East Yorkshire. They also evoke the cultural practices that were spreading across eastern Britain in the later 3rd millennium BC through the mechanisms of cultural transmission and migration.

A new record of Lestodon armatus Gervais 1855 (Xenarthra, Mylodontidae) from the Quaternary of southern Brazil and remarks on its postcranial anatomy

ABSTRACT Mylododontidae (Xenarthra: Folivora) includes ground sloths of medium to large size. Lestodon armatus is a mylodontid that have been found in Pleistocene fossiliferous deposits of South America, with most of its records at the southern portion of the continent. Here, we reported a new specimen assigned to this species recovered from a Quaternary deposit in Caçapava do Sul, southern Brazil. The specimen is composed of cranial fragments, vertebrae, articulated hind limb and pes, as well as other post-cranial elements. We described the post-cranial morphology of this specimen, including some elements not yet described for this species, such as the ossified meniscus, cyamo-fabella, and the fusion of the tibia and fibula. The new record contributes to the knowledge on the anatomy of L. armatus as well as to the study of the diversity of the extinct mammalian fauna from southern Brazil.

03:36 PM Abstract No. 407 Tracheobronchial bioabsorbable stent: experimental study in an animal model

To study the tracheal pathology response after a polydioxanone bioabsorable stent (BAS) implantation in a rabbit model. Twenty two rabbits (4.61±0.52 Kg), divided into 3 groups with different survival time were compared: group 30 (30 days, n=7), group 60 (60 days, n=7) and group 90 (90 days, n=8); one rabbit in each group was a control animal. The bioabsorbable stents (8x30 mm) were implanted through a tracheotomy and fluoroscopy guidance. Respiratory tissue response was assessed by CT and tracheoscopy, and in all cases an hystopathological study was performed. The trachea was divided into five sections for analysis (A: central segment of the stent; B1: cranial stent ending; B2: caudal stent ending; C1: cranial fragment to the stent; C2: caudal fragment to the stent). Presence of radiopaque markers (RM) and granuloma were evaluated and the tracheal wall thickness and lumen were measured. Technical success was a 100%. RM were observed in CT images in all animals after 30 days; however only in 50% of all cases in 60 days and absence of RM at 90 days. Significant differences were observed regarding tracheal area and wall thickness when the stent was present. Granulomas were found in 7 animals (3 in group 30, 2 in group 60 and 2 in group 90), and they were located in: B1 (n=3), C1 (n=3), and A (n=1). BAS were degradated around 60 days after deployment, and no clinical complication were observed. In all animals the tracheal patency was 100%. BAS is a very promising alternative in airway obstruction; nevertheless, posterior studies are necessary.

Hominin cranial fragments from Milner Hall, Sterkfontein, South Africa

The Sterkfontein Caves site is one of the richest early hominin localities in Africa. In addition to significant fossil assemblages from Members 2 and 4 of the Sterkfontein Formation, recent excavations have revealed hominin-bearing sedimentary deposits in the lesser-known Milner Hall. We describe two hominin cranial fragments excavated from the Milner Hall in 2015 and present the results of a high-resolution microtomographic-based approach to diagnosing the anatomical and taxonomical origin of these specimens. Based on external morphology, StW 671 and StW 672 are tentatively identified as frontal and occipital fragments, respectively. Our non-invasive bi-dimensional quantitative investigation of the two cranial fragments reveals a mean cranial thickness of 8.8 mm and 5.6 mm for StW 671 and StW 672 respectively and a contribution of the diploic layer to the cumulative cranial thickness that is less than 50%. While the mean cranial thickness of StW 671 falls within the range of Homo, the relative proportion of the diploë in both StW 671 and StW 672 is lower than in Australopithecus (>60%) and extant humans (>50%). Accordingly, in terms of both cranial thickness and inner structural organization, the Milner Hall hominins combine derived and unique traits, consistent with the condition of other postcranial and dental material already described from the deposit. Moreover, our study opens interesting perspectives in terms of analysis of isolated cranial fragments, which are abundant in the hominin fossil record.
 Significance:
 
 The Sterkfontein Caves have widely contributed to our understanding of human evolution.
 Besides the well-known Members 4 and 2, where the iconic ‘Mrs Ples’ and ‘Little Foot’ have been found, in this study we suggest that the Milner Hall locality represents an additional, stratigraphically associated source of not only fossil hominins, but also Oldowan stone tools.
 In particular, we describe for the first time two cranial fragments, StW 671 and StW 672, identified as frontal and occipital bones, respectively.
 Our microtomographic-based analysis of these materials reveals some affinities with Homo combined with unique characters.
 In this context, our study suggests an intriguing mosaicism consistent with the description of the two fossil hominins found in the Milner Hall.

Dental Indications of Polynesian Affinity for Prehistoric Rotuma Islanders, South Pacific

Human skeletal reburial, reasonable from a religious and personal point of view, nevertheless diminishes the physical record of human evolution. The present study preserves some information for a small but rare Pacific Basin skeletal assemblage. Prehistoric human tooth-bearing cranial and jaw fragments and loose teeth of probably 19 individuals excavated on Rotuma Island were examined for crown and root morphology. The purpose of the examination was to assess whether these individuals were morphologically more like Melanesians or Polynesians. Rotuma is in the Polynesian culture area north of the Fiji group, which exhibits archaeological and ethnographic evidence of colonists from both Oceanic populations. Polynesians belong to the Malayo-Polynesian language family, so if the Rotuma teeth are similar to Polynesians they should also be more similar to Southeast Asian teeth than to those of linguistically different Melanesians or Australians. Indeed, this seems to be the case, although the small Rotuma sample size reduces confidence somewhat in this finding of Rotuma similarity with Polynesians and Southeast Asians.

Virtual reconstruction of the Upper Palaeolithic skull from Zlatý Kůň, Czech Republic: Sex assessment and morphological affinity.

The incomplete cranium discovered at the Zlatý kůň site in the Bohemian Karst is a rare piece of skeletal evidence of human presence in Central Europe during the Late Glacial period. The relative position of cranial fragments was restored and missing parts of the cranium were virtually reconstructed using mirroring and the Thin-plate splines algorithm. The reconstruction allowed us to collect principal cranial measurements, revise a previous unfounded sex assignment and explore the specimen’s morphological affinity. Visual assessment could not reliably provide a sexual diagnosis, as such methods have been developed on modern populations. Using a population-specific approach developed on cranial measurements collected from the literature on reliably sexed European Upper Palaeolithic specimens, linear discriminant analysis confirmed previous assignment to the female sex. However, caution is necessary with regard to the fact that it was assessed from the skull. The Zlatý kůň specimen clearly falls within the range of Upper Palaeolithic craniometric variation. Despite the shift in cranial variation that accompanied the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the Zlatý kůň skull exhibits a morphological affinity with the pre-LGM population. Several interpretations are proposed with regard to the complex population processes that occurred after the LGM in Europe.

Clinical and radiographic evaluation of double pelvic osteotomy to treat canine hip dysplasia

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to describe our initial experience with double pelvic osteotomy (DPO) in young dogs affected by hip dysplasia (HD) and to report their postoperative outcome. Seven dogs (four females and three males) were included in our study with mean age 8.3 (±1.7) months, and mean body weight 29.5 (±7.4)Kg. Breeds involved were: Rottweiler (n = 1), Labrador Retriever (n = 3), Golden Retriever (n = 1), Great Dane (n=1) and São Miguel Cattle Dog (n = 1). The most common history complaints were: pelvic limb lameness and pain at hip extension and hip abduction. All surgical procedures consisted of osteotomy of the ilium and pubis, acetabular ventroversion and iliac stabilization with a customized bone plate with seven screws, four screws placed at the cranial fragment and the remaining three in the caudal aspect. Average surgical time was 65.8 (±10.4) minutes and median follow-up assessment was 68 (±15) days. Fracture healing was observed within mean period of 26.3 (±8.9) days. Six patients (86%) had satisfactory outcome and one patient didn’t improve after surgery and had to undergo a total hip replacement. Our results showed that DPO is an effective treatment for HD due to the preservation of pelvic geometry and low postoperative morbidity. Since it is a recent technique, further studies are recommended.

Commingled and Unprovenanced: A Case Study Highlighting the Utility of Multiple Techniques for Testing Investigative Leads

Unprovenanced skeletal remains were located by law enforcement in a private residence in rural Missouri. Forensic anthropological assistance was requested to determine the origin and medicolegal significance of the material. The homeowner provided written documentation that the remains were legally obtained from an archaeological site in Guatemala; however, police expressed concern they were actually illegally looted and retained from a local historic African American cemetery. The recovered skeletal material was inventoried and a minimum number of individuals established based on crania and cranial fragments. The ten most complete crania were subject to further analyses. Assessment of biological profile, DNA analyses, and stable isotopes were utilized by three forensic anthropological practitioners to address three hypotheses of potential origin. Based on the collaborative results, none of the recovered skeletal material tested was from the proposed region of Iztapa, Guatemala. Data indicate that at least two of the recovered crania cannot be ruled out as being from the historic African American cemetery. However, results show it is likely the skeletal material is representative of multiple historic sites within the central and eastern Missouri region. This case emphasizes the need for utility of collaboration within the forensic anthropological field. KEYWORDS: forensic anthropology, stable isotopes, DNA

Biological sex variation in bone mineral density in the cranium and femur

ObjectivesSex and age trends in bone mineral density (BMD) play an important role in the estimation of age-at-death (AAD) of unidentified human remains. Current methodologies lack the ability to precisely estimate age in older individuals. In this study, BMD of the cranium and femur measured by DXA were examined to establish their applicability for age estimation in older adults. BMD as measured by DXA, is most commonly used clinically for prediction of osteoporotic fracture risk. We hypothesized that weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing bones, the femur and cranium, respectively, would provide valuable insights for aging. MethodsThe sample consists of 32 sets of excised cranial fragments from the Regional Forensic Center, Johnson City, Tennessee and 41 associated crania and femora from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. All crania and femora were scanned using a Hologic (R) DXA scanner and data were analyzed using Student t-tests, Loess regression, and ANOVA. ResultsStudent t-tests indicate a significant relationship between the sexes and cranial BMD and a significant relationship between age cohorts and femoral neck BMD. The Loess regression showed different aging patterns in the cranium for females and males older than 55. And the ANOVA showed changes in femoral neck after age 55. ConclusionsThese results indicate age and sex dependent changes in BMD especially for individuals over the age of 55, which offers improvement from current aging methods for older individuals. Further research using a larger sample size could improve the predictive capabilities of the model.

Making up for Missing Pieces: SEM-EDS Gunshot Residue Analysis of Human Cranial Bone

This report outlines a case in which cranial gunshot trauma was suspected, but a large portion of the cranium was not recovered from the scene, so the precise nature and etiology of the fractures could not be determined with certainty. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) is widely accepted as a reliable method for detecting gunshot residue (GSR) on the hands of shooters and on fleshed remains, and experimental research has shown that the technique is applicable to skeletal remains. Therefore, SEM-EDS was utilized to analyze several cranial fragments and a control fragment from a thoracic vertebra for gunshot residue. The technique enables the examination of particle morphology and elemental composition of the inorganic compound. Barium, antimony, and lead were detected on four of the five cranial fragments, confirming the presence of gunshot residue. The fifth fragment had barium and lead, but no antimony. No trace elements were detected on the control fragment from the thoracic vertebra. SEM analysis of the bone surface revealed the presence of characteristic GSR spherical deposits on three of the fragments. The combined presence of signature trace elements and spherical surface deposits on the cranial fragments are consistent with the presence of gunshot residue. The cause of death was certified as disruptive head trauma, and given the circumstances of the case the manner of death was certified as homicide. The SEM-EDS analysis confirmed and supported the pathologist’s and anthropologist’s assessment of the circumstances surrounding the death. KEYWORDS: forensic anthropology, forensic science, gunshot wounds, skeletal trauma, gunshot residue, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

The Fossil Human from Rabat-Kébibat (Morocco): Comparative Study of the Cranial and Mandibular Fragments

As part of the geological and chronological recontextualization of the Rabat-Kebibat quarry performed by a Franco-Moroccan team of geologists, the human remains discovered in the site and already published were reassessed. The human remains assemblage is composed of 23 cranial fragments, a mandible (including on the right I1, P3, P4, the roots of M1, M2, and M3, and of the left I1, I2, C, P3, P4, and M1), and the left half of the maxillary (including I1, I2, P3, P4, M1, and M2). Through a micro-computerized tomography analysis, the internal structure of the parietal fragment (evaluation of the thickness of the compact table and diploe) and the mandible was examined. Geometric morphometrics were applied on the tridimensional model of the mandible to investigate the conformation of the symphyseal outlines. Results were compared to a large reference collection composed of African, Asiatic, and European hominin fossils, from different chronological range. Our results allow us to clarify the phylogenetic position of the human remains from Rabat-Kebibat, in particular their relationship with other North African hominins.

Scaldiporia vandokkumi, a new pontoporiid (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the Late Miocene to earliest Pliocene of the Westerschelde estuary (The Netherlands).

BackgroundThe family Pontoporiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Inioidea) is currently represented in our oceans by just one species of diminutive dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei, franciscana). Although P. blainvillei is limited to coastal waters of the South Atlantic along Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, multiple Miocene and Pliocene fossils indicate the past presence of members of the family in the South Atlantic, South Paciifc and North Atlantic oceans. Our comprehension of the origin and diversity of this clade and of the relationships of its members with other inioids is hampered by the fact that part of the described fossil specimens, especially from the North Atlantic realm, are cranial fragments often associated to limited stratigraphic information.MethodsBased on an almost complete fossil cranium of pontoporiid from the Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands, whose preservation allows for detailed morphological observations, we describe a new genus and species. The latter is compared to other pontoporiids, as well as a few non-pontoporiid inioids. A phylogenetic analysis is performed to investigate the relationship of S. vandokkumi with the best-known extinct and extant inioids. Palynological analysis of the sediment associated to the holotype is used to assess its geological age.Results and discussionThe new genus and species Scaldiporia vandokkumi is characterized among others by greatly thickened premaxillary eminences reaching the level of the antorbital notch. Palynologically dated from the late Tortonian—earliest Zanclean (7.6–5 Ma, Late Miocene—earliest Pliocene), this new pontoporiid confirms the surprising past diversity of marine inioids in the North Atlantic area. Finally the content of the pontoporiid subfamily Brachydelphininae is briefly discussed.

Estimation of cranial capacity of healthy adult students of a medical university in eastern part of Nepal

The Late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils from the Xujiayao site in northern China have been closely studied in light of their morphological variability. However, all previous studies have focused on separated cranial fragments. Here, we report the first reconstruction of a fairly complete posterior cranium, Xujiayao 6 (XJY 6), confidently dated to ∼200–160 ka, which facilitated an assessment of its overall cranial size. XJY 6 was reconstructed from three of the original fragments—the PA1486 (No.7/XJY 6a) occipital bone, PA1490 (No.10/XJY 6b) right parietal bone, and PA1498 (No.17/XJY 15) left temporal bone—which originated from the same young adult individual. The XJY 6 endocranial capacity, estimated by measuring endocranial volume, was estimated using multiple regression formulae derived from ectocranial and endocranial measurements on select samples of Pleistocene hominins and recent modern humans. The results indicate that the larger pooled sample of both Pleistocene and recent modern humans was more robust for the endocranial capacity estimate. Based on the pooled sample using the ectocranial and endocranial measurements, we conservatively estimate the XJY 6 endocranial volume to be ∼1700 cm3 with a 95% confidence interval of 1555–1781 cm3. This is close to Xuchang 1, which dates to 125–105 ka and whose endocranial volume is ∼1800 cm3. Thus, XJY 6 provides the earliest evidence of a brain size that falls in the upper range of Neanderthals and modern Homo sapiens. XJY 6, together with Xuchang 1, Homo floresiensis, Homo luzonensis, and Homo naledi, challenge the general pattern that brain size gradually increases over geological time. This study also finds that hominin brain size expansion occurred at different rates across time and space.

Revision of "Balaena" belgica reveals a new right whale species, the possible ancestry of the northern right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, and the ages of divergence for the living right whale species.

In 1941, Abel established Balaena belgica based on a series of fused cervical vertebrae and citing other cranial fragments from the late Neogene of the Antwerp harbor (northern Belgium). Later, Plisnier-Ladame & Quinet (1969) added a neurocranium and other skeletal remains from the same area to this species. Recently, the neurocranium was re-assigned to the genus Eubalaena thanks to newer phylogenetic analyses. Here, a new description is provided of materials previously assigned to “Balaena” belgica together with taxonomic revisions. Our work suggests that the cervical complex originally designated as the type of “Balaena” belgica is too poorly preserved to be used as such and is assigned to Balaenidae gen. et sp. indet., thus making “Balaena” belgica a nomen dubium. In addition to the neurocranium, the other remains consist in a fragment of maxilla assigned to Balaenidae gen. et sp. indet. and in a humerus assigned to Eubalaena sp. Discovered in the Kruisschans Sands Member of the Lillo Formation (3.2–2.8 Ma, Piacenzian, Late Pliocene), the neurocranium is designated as the holotype of the new species Eubalaena ianitrix. Our phylogenetic analysis supports a sister-group relationship of Eubalaena ianitrix and Eubalaena glacialis, and helps constraining the ages of origin for balaenid clades. Ecological and phylogenetic data suggest that Eubalaena ianitrix may represent the direct ancestor of Eubalaena glacialis, the latter having evolved through phyletic transformation including body size increase during the temperature decline of the Late Pliocene.

U-series dating and classification of the Apidima 2 hominin from Mani Peninsula, Southern Greece

Laser ablation U-series dating results on a human cranial bone fragment from Apidima, on the western cost of the Mani Peninsula, Southern Greece, indicate a minimum age of 160,000 years. The dated cranial fragment belongs to Apidima 2, which preserves the facial skeleton and a large part of the braincase, lacking the occipital bone. The morphology of the preserved regions of the cranium, and especially that of the facial skeleton, indicates that the fossil belongs to the Neanderthal clade. The dating of the fossil at a minimum age of 160,000 years shows that most of the Neanderthal traits were already present in the MIS 6 and perhaps earlier. This makes Apidima 2 the earliest known fossil with a clear Neanderthal facial morphology. Together with the nearby younger Neanderthal specimens from Lakonis and Kalamakia, the Apidima crania are of crucial importance for the evolution of Neanderthals in the area during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. It can be expected that systematic direct dating of the other human fossils from this area will elucidate our understanding of Neanderthal evolution and demise.

The Cattle Mandibles, Cranial Fragments and Metapodials from the Burgstraat in Ghent (Belgium)

The Burgstraat is an archaeological site which is located within the high-medieval part of the town of Ghent. Excavations conducted by BAAC Vlaanderen in 2011 revealed numerous structures, artefacts and ecofacts at the site - some of which date to the 12th century. This paper focuses on SP141, a 13th century waste deposit. The contents of SP141 are mostly zooarchaeological remains. The investigated sample consists of 2652 animal bone fragments, which predominantly represent domestic cattle (Bos p.f. Taurus). Interestingly, this large concentration of cattle remains consists primarily of cranial fragments. At the Burgstraat, mandibles and maxillae appear to have been divided in a systematic manner of butchery. The function of the processing of the cranial parts presents part of an economic chain where animals are brought into the urban economic system for their meat, horn, hide and bone. This paper explores the role of the cattle remains from SP141, and presents the results of preliminary analyses at the site, including age and demographic data.

Os crocodiliformes da Formação Marília (Bacia Bauru, Cretáceo Superior) na região de Monte Alto, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

This study presents the oldest historical record of fossil crocodyliforms in the region of the Monte Alto, SP, besides the analysis of an additional fossil from the same site. The specimens come from the Marilia Formation and they are the only known local occurrences of Crocodyliformes cranial fragments in this stratigraphic unit. This study expands the knowledge about Crocodyliformes of the Bauru Basin and contributes to the definition of the regional paleofauna during the Maastrichtian.