Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

You are here: Home

Search results

RSS Subscribe to an always-updated RSS feed.

1610 items matching your search terms.
Filter the results.
Item type



































New items since



Sort by relevance · date (newest first) · alphabetically
Inproceedings Reference The gait of Homo naledi
Remains of the foot, upper and lower limb, thorax and cranium of Homo naledi present a mosaic of primitive and Homo-like traits. These include curved phalanges in the hands, although a human like wrist and palm, an ape-like thorax with Homo-like vertebrae, and a shoulder girdle indicative of climbing competency. The individual bones of the foot and lower limbs largely seem to show an individual compatible with obligate bipedalism, although the pedal phalanges also show curvature [1,2]. Despite the remarkably voluminous assemblages, the H. naledi remains do not include a complete lower limb confidently ascribed to a single individual. A complete lower limb of H. naledi would be informative in what it could tell us regarding potential locomotion. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the lower limbs of the H. naledi skeleton and analyse the potential gait of H. naledi whilst also reviewing recent work on the functional morphology of H. naledi and how this pertains to inferences about bipedal locomotion. The H. naledi lower limb was constructed using estimated femoral, tibial and fibular lengths from the most complete remains of H. naledi currently available [2,3]. Pelvis remains were too fragmented to reconstruct the pelvis. All transformations were performed in ‘LhpFusionBox’, which is a musculoskeletal software primarily used to analyse gait in clinical contexts, but recently adapted for paleoanthropologists [4]. Estimated lengths were used as a reference to reconstruct the individual bones by using anatomical land-marks (ALs) to scale other H. naledi material to the size of the estimated bones. Both a modern human model and new lower limb associations of a juvenile skeleton found in the Dinaledi chamber were used as guides to reconstruct a complete lower limb. Reconstructions of individual isolated and scaled limb and foot bones were then placed together to have a complete lower limb re- construction taking into account ligaments, muscles and following the orientation of joint surfaces. The entire limb was then fused to a modern human walking motion to analyse potential locomotion. The reconstruction and biomechanical analysis of the H. naledi lower limb largely demonstrates a morphology compatible with obligate bipedalism, with a medial arch (although reduced), elongated limbs, marked bicondylar angle and joint surfaces compatible with bipedal gait. The elongation of the lower limb is generally seen as a marker of obligate bipedalism although the H. naledi limbs are exceptionally elongated relative to the diaphyseal diameter of the long bones and preserved joint proportions. Longer limbs are generally thought of as more energy efficient, but they also require a greater moment of inertia, which increases energy costs. Whilst the longer tibia (and leg) may have necessitated a longer swing phase, low limb mass (as evidenced by long bone gracility and small joints) may have offset this energetically. Other unique traits such as the flaring ilium, flattened femoral lower neck and overall general mix of primitive and Homo-like traits may not have impeded obligate bipedalism, but they may have been advantageous for climbing. Primitive traits are often thought of as vestiges of an ancient past on the way to the modern human form of obligate bipedalism, however, Homo erectus and other skeletons from the genus Homo are largely thought to be fully obligate bipedals from approximately 1.5 million years onwards, and as H. naledi has been dated between 335 and 236ka [5], it is therefore curious why this particular branch of the hominid tree would ‘hang on’ to the ‘primitive traits’ for at least a million years longer. It is therefore likely that this hominin engaged in both arboreal climbing and bipedal walking.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference The genus Alaolacon Candèze, a senior synonym of the genus Eumoeus Candèze (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypinae)
Located in Library / RBINS collections by external author(s)
Article Reference The genus Aphanius Nardo 1827 (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae) in Turkey
The Turkish species of the Cyprinodontiform genus Aphanius Nardo 1827 are described. The naming used follows Wildekamp (1993) (1) as the latest available revision. Information is given on morphology, sexual dimorphism, colouration and distribution, as well as remarks on taxonomy, nomenclature, distribution, variability and conservation. Comments are given on the Lazara (1995) (2) revalidation of Lebias as a distinct genus. It is shown that Valenciennes (1846) (3) is the first revisor of Lebias, and not Lazara, and that Aphanius should be maintained as a genus. The taxon Aphanius chantrei (Galliard 1895) is regarded as a junior synonym of Aphanius danfordii (Boulenger 1890), a lectotype for A. danfordii is designated and a more detailed type locality is given.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference The Genus Chaetogaster Baer, 1827 (Annelida, Clitellata) in Switzerland: A First Step toward Cataloguing Its Molecular Diversity and Description of New Species on a DNA Sequence Basis
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference The genus Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 in the Southern Ocean, with the description of a new species (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Lysianassoidea)
It is demonstrated here that Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 (Amphipoda) has priority over Charcotia Vayssière, 1906 (Gastropoda), and that Waldeckia Chevreux, 1906 has to be treated as an invalid objective junior synonym of Charcotia Chevreux, 1906. An analysis of a part of the mitochondrial COI gene of Charcotia indicates that Charcotia obesa sensu lato, consists of two genetically distant clades that fulfil the criteria of genetic species. Each genetic clade corresponds to a different morphotype. The first one has a low triangular protrusion on the dorsal border of urosomite 1, a strong tooth on epimeron 3, and the posterodistal corner of the basis of pereiopod 7 is regularly rounded. It agrees with the original description of Charcotia obesa Chevreux, 1906. The second one has a protrusion of urosomite 1 prolongated by a sharp and usually long denticle, a small tooth on epimeron 3, and the posterodistal corner of the basis of pereiopod 7 is bluntly angular. The second form is treated herein as a new species, Charcotia amundseni sp. nov., which is described in detail. While the bathymetric distribution of the two Antarctic Charcotia species overlaps (0–300 m for C. obesa and 7–1200 m for C. amundseni sp. nov.), C. obesa largely predominates at depths of less than 150 m, while Charcotia amundseni sp. nov. predominates at greater depths. Both species are widely distributed and presumably circum-Antarctic.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2018
Article Reference The genus Diplommatina Benson, 1849 (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Diplommatinidae) in Nepal, with the description of seven new species
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference The Genus Enixotrophon (Gastropoda: Muricidae: Pagodulinae): an Update on Species from the Tropical Indo-West Pacific
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023 OA
Article Reference The genus Mytilina in China, with description of a new species (Rotifera: Monogononta: Mytilinidae).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference The genus Rhinoglena (Rotifera, Monogononta, Ephiphanidae) in North America, with the description of two new species
Based on material from aquatic habitats in the northern Chihuahuan Desert and a literature review, we present an account on the occurrence of genus Rhinoglena in North America. Two new species are described, and the presence of Rhinoglena frontalis in the USA is confirmed. Of the two new species, R. texana n. sp. is a close relative of R. frontalis, whereas R. ovigera n. sp. is unique by being oviparous, in contrast to all other Rhinoglena which are viviparous. This prompts a revision of the generic diagnosis of Rhinoglena to accommodate the new species. An identification key to the known species of the genus is provided.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Inproceedings Reference The GEPATAR project: GEotechnical and Patrimonial Archives Toolbox for ARchitectural conservation in Belgium
Belgium is well-known for its diverse collection of built heritage, visited every year by millions of people. Because of its cultural and economic importance, conservation is a priority at both federal and regional levels. Monuments may suffer from structural instabilities related to industrial and urban development, such as groundwater extraction, mining and excavation activities. Adequate protection and preservation requires an integrated analysis of environmental, architectural and historical parameters. The aim of the GEPATAR project is to create an online interactive geo-information tool that integrates information about Belgian heritage buildings and the occurrence of ground movements. The toolbox will allow the user to view and be informed about buildings potentially at risk due to differential ground movements and thus help improving the management of built patrimony. Countrywide deformation maps were produced by applying advanced multi-temporal InSAR techniques to time-series of SAR data. We used StaMPS (Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers; Hooper et al. 2012) to process ERS-1/2 and Envisat archive data and MSBAS (Multidimensional Small Baseline Subsets; Samsonov & d’Oreye 2012) to combine both ascending and descending tracks of Sentinel-1. High-resolution deformation maps of selected urban centres were obtained by processing VHR SAR data (TerraSAR-X and CosmoSkyMed). Within the GEPATAR toolbox, the deformation maps are integrated with other geo-data layers such as geology, land-use, the location of built heritage and architectural data. Feature-based data fusion techniques are applied to create ground movement risk maps. The output risk maps will be regularly updated with the availability of new SAR acquisitions.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019