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A pesar de su importancia estratégica en el límite más alejado de la expansión neolítica en Europa, los datos arqueogenéticos de restos humanos del Mesolítico y Neolítico de Portugal son todavía muy limitados. Aquí presentamos evidencia antigua de ADNmt (en su mayoría inédita) para llenar el vacío y discutir el patrón de “resurgimiento genético” de la ascendencia cazadora-recolectora (Mesolítico), ampliamente reportado en otras partes de Europa, entre los primeros constructores de megalitos (Neolítico Medio) de la Península Ibérica occidental. . Un total de 11 necrópolis mesolíticas y neolíticas ubicadas en las regiones central y sur de Portugal datan de ca. Se estudiaron los años 6200-3000 a.C. Estos sitios comprenden todas las etapas culturales del Mesolítico-Neolítico e incluyen varias arquitecturas y espacios funerarios. Se obtuvieron haplotipos reproducibles de ADNmt HVRI de 23 individuos de seis sitios arqueológicos diferentes repartidos en un transecto de >3000 años, desde el Mesolítico Tardío hasta el Neolítico Tardío. Nuestros resultados respaldan un modelo demográfico y poblacional explicativo de tres etapas: i) las poblaciones locales de cazadores-recolectores constituían un acervo genético altamente homogéneo; ii) las primeras prácticas agrícolas fueron introducidas por grupos humanos que portaban haplogrupos nuevos y extraños y exhibían la firma de eventos de mezcla que ocurrían en el momento del primer contacto con los cazadores-recolectores locales; iii) el patrón genético detectado entre las poblaciones constructoras de megalitos, que muestra ascendencia cazadora-recolectora junto con ascendencia agrícola, puede explicarse por los principios segmentarios y las prácticas endogámicas concomitantes que estructuraron las sociedades neolíticas., Despite its strategic importance at the furthermost edge of the Neolithic expansion in Europe, archaeogenetic data from Mesolithic and Neolithic human remains from Portugal are still very limited. Here we present ancient mtDNA evidence (mostly unpublished) to fill the gap and discuss the pattern of “genetic resurgence” of hunter-gatherer (Mesolithic) ancestry, widely reported elsewhere in Europe, among the first megalith builders (Middle Neolithic) of western Iberia. A total of 11 Mesolithic and Neolithic necropolises located in the central and southern regions of Portugal dated to ca. 6200–3000 BC were studied. These sites comprise all Mesolithic–Neolithic cultural stages and include several funerary architectures and spaces. Reproducible mtDNA HVRI haplotypes were obtained from 23 individuals from six different archaeological sites spread across a >3000-year transect, from the Late Mesolithic to the Late Neolithic. Our results support a three-stage explanatory demographic and populational model: i) local hunter-gatherer populations constituted a highly homogeneous genetic pool; ii) the first farming practices were introduced by human groups carrying new, extraneous haplogroups and exhibiting the signature of admixture events occurring at the time of first contact with local hunter-gatherers; iii) the genetic pattern detected among the megalith-building populations, showing hunter-gatherer along with farming ancestry, may be explained by the segmentary principles, and attendant endogamic practices, that structured Neolithic societies., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Depto. de Medicina Legal, Psiquiatría y Patología, Fac. de Medicina, TRUE, pub

Se trata del estudio genético de relaciones familiares más antiguo hasta la fecha en la Península Ibérica, mediante la utilización de marcadores genéticos y software forenses de uso convencional. Igualmente, se aporta información relevante sobre el aspecto físico de los neolíticos del Pirineo, cosa no realizada hasta el momento (2020). Es el resultado de una intensa colaboración nacional e internacional con el Grupo de Genética Forense y Genética de Poblaciones de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Complutense, dirigido por los Drs. Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo y la Dra. Ana M. López-Parra., One of the most important Neolithic necropolises in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula is La Feixa del Moro (3975-3790 cal. BC), located at 1335 mamsl in the Pyrenees (Juberri, Sant Julia de Lòria, Andorra). Within the scarcity of multiple simultaneous Neolithic burials, the main importance of La Feixa del Moro lies in the fact that it is one of the very few cases to suggest a biological family burial, comprising two adults and a newborn baby. Accordingly, the purpose of the present work was the multidisciplinary interpretation of the necropolis in the Neolithic context of the Pyrenees, on a potential route between the Iberian Peninsula and Europe. Therefore, kinship and biogeographic analyses were performed, as well as external visible characteristics phenotyping. Our results suggest the possibility of a traditional nuclear family, pointing to a very probable relation between the newborn and both adults. First, two mitochondrial haplotypes and two lineages were determined: H1, for the presumable mother and newborn, and U5, for the presumed father. Second, regarding their physical appearance, they all had brown eyes, the adult female and the neonate had dark brown hair, while the adult male's hair was dark red-brown. Finally, it was possible to confirm the sex of two of the individuals, as the newborn baby gender was also confirmed by the High Troughoutput Sequencing analysis. The multidisciplinary analysis of the La Feixa del Moro burial place envisions a very probable familial burial. Not only does the genetic evidence point to biological kinship, but also the archaeological record indicates a habitational area surrounding the burial site. The similar artefacts and the care shown during the funerary ritual suggest a probable biological Neolithic family., Una de las necrópolis neolíticas más importantes del noreste de la Península Ibérica es La Feixa del Moro (3975-3790 cal. a. C.), situada a 1335 m sobre el nivel del mar en los Pirineos (Juberri, Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra). Dentro de la escasez de múltiples enterramientos neolíticos simultáneos, la principal importancia de La Feixa del Moro reside en que es uno de los pocos casos que sugiere un entierro familiar biológico, compuesto por dos adultos y un recién nacido. En este sentido, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue la interpretación multidisciplinar de la necrópolis en el contexto neolítico del Pirineo, en una potencial ruta entre la Península Ibérica y Europa. Para ello, se realizaron análisis de parentesco y biogeográficos, así como fenotipado de características externas visibles. Nuestros resultados sugieren la posibilidad de una familia nuclear tradicional, apuntando a una relación muy probable entre el recién nacido y ambos adultos. En primer lugar se determinaron dos haplotipos mitocondriales y dos linajes: H1, para la presunta madre y el recién nacido, y U5, para el presunto padre. En segundo lugar, en cuanto a su apariencia física, todos tenían ojos marrones, la hembra adulta y el neonato tenían cabello castaño oscuro, mientras que el cabello del macho adulto era marrón rojizo oscuro. Finalmente, fue posible confirmar el sexo de dos de los individuos, ya que el sexo del recién nacido también fue confirmado mediante el análisis de secuenciación de alto rendimiento. El análisis multidisciplinar del lugar de enterramiento de La Feixa del Moro vislumbra un enterramiento familiar muy probable. No sólo la evidencia genética apunta a un parentesco biológico, sino que también el registro arqueológico indica un área habitacional que rodea el sitio de enterramiento. Los artefactos similares y el cuidado mostrado durante el ritual funerario sugieren una probable familia biológica neolítica., Santander-Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Depto. de Medicina Legal, Psiquiatría y Patología, Fac. de Medicina, TRUE, pub

We thank the many funding agencies that supported this work, in particular the National Geographic Society, the National Research Foundation, the Lyda Hill Foundation, and the Lee R. Berger Foundation for Exploration for particularly significant funding of the discovery, recovery, and analysis of this material. DGM and MB were funded through CGL2012-37279, MINECO, Spain, and a Leakey Research Grant to DGM. A visit to the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA; Tervuren, Belgium) by DGM was funded by the European Commission's Research Infrastructure Action via the Synthesys Project (BE-TAF-5639). SAW was funded through the New York University Research Challenge Fund., Hominin evolution featured shifts from a trunk shape suitable for climbing and housing a large gut to a trunk adapted to bipedalism and higher quality diets. Our knowledge regarding the tempo, mode, and context in which these derived traits evolved has been limited, based largely on a small-bodied Australopithecus partial skeleton (A.L. 288-1; “Lucy”) and a juvenile Homo erectus skeleton (KNM-WT 15000; “Turkana Boy”). Two recent discoveries, of a large-bodied Australopithecus afarensis (KSD-VP-1/1) and two Australopithecus sediba partial skeletons (MH1 and MH2), have added to our understanding of thorax evolution; however, little is known about thorax morphology in early Homo. Here we describe hominin vertebrae, ribs, and sternal remains from the Dinaledi chamber of the Rising Star cave system attributed to Homo naledi. Although the remains are highly fragmented, the best-preserved specimens—two lower thoracic vertebrae and a lower rib—were found in association and belong to a small-bodied individual. A second lower rib may belong to this individual as well. All four of these individual elements are amongst the smallest known in the hominin fossil record. H. naledi is characterized by robust, relatively uncurved lower ribs and a relatively large spinal canal. We expect that the recovery of additional material from Rising Star Cave will clarify the nature of these traits and shed light on H. naledi functional morphology and phylogeny., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL2012-37279, MINECO), the Leakey Foundation, and PI10/02089 ( Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria) Ministry of Health, Spain., Chest size is important for reconstructing Neandertal paleobiology. The large size of the Neandertal skeletal thorax has been interpreted about cold adaptation, increased body mass, specific body shape, and increased activity levels (Franciscus and Churchill, 2002, Churchill, 2006, Gómez-Olivencia et al., 2009). Large Neandertal chests should also be expected because chest and lung sizes are correlated developmentally (Thurlbeck, 1982, Bastir et al., 2013a), because lung size scales isometrically with body mass across mammals (Stahl, 1967), and because body mass was larger in Neandertals than in modern humans (Ruff et al., 1997, Froehle and Churchill, 2009). The notion of large chests has recently been reinforced by Gómez-Olivencia et al. (2009), who measured the ribs of the Kebara 2 Neandertal male using arc lengths. Their study suggested that the upper ribs of Kebara 2 are within the range of modern humans, and the middle (ribs 4, 5, 7) and lower (ribs 8, 10) thoracic ribs exceed the range of modern human variation. Consequently, this predicts that the total thorax size (the sum of the sizes of each of the ribs) should be larger in Kebara than in modern humans. However, Gómez-Olivencia et al. (2009) also identified a problem in the original reconstruction of the 6th and 7th ribs of Kebara due to a misidentification of fragments fitted together by Arensburg (1991), who stated that the ribs of “Kebara man are quite similar in metric and morphological respects to those of ribs in present human populations” (Arensburg, 1991: 142). Nevertheless, misidentifications such as those identified by Gómez Olivencia et al. (2009) could affect size assessments. Bastir et al. (2012) measured the reconstruction of the Kebara rib cage (Sawyer and Maley, 2005) using 3D geometric morphometrics, and no evidence for such enlarged chest size was found, supporting Arensburg's (1991) opinion. Thus, the size of one of the best-preserved Neandertal male thoracic skeletons is currently uncle, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Financial support has been provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation: Research Projects: CGL2010-15191/BOS, and CGL2006-04749/BOS (to RC) and by the Italian Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Universita` e della Ricerca: MIURPRIN 2007 (to AN)., Seventeen Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) were analyzed in 347 healthy, unrelated, autochthonous males from the Andalusian provinces of Huelva (N=167) and Granada (N=180). AmpFlSTR Y-filer PCR Amplification kit (Applied Biosystems) was used to type the Y-STR markers. A total of 156 and 166 different haplotypes for the 17 Y-STR set were detected in Huelva, and Granada, respectively. The same haplotype diversity was found for both samples (0.998±0.001), and the overall discrimination capacity was 0.904. The most common minimal haplotype (DYS19, DYS389 I, DYS389 II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) in both subpopulations was 14-13-16-24-11-13-13, which is also the most frequent haplotype among Atlantic European populations. Comparison analysis using pairwise R(ST) values and Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) revealed a significant genetic distance between our Andalusian samples and other ones from the northern Iberian fringe (including Basque and Pyrenean populations). However, results from the multi-dimensional scaling analysis (MDS) yielded a well-defined group of Iberian populations separated from the other Mediterranean clusters observed., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

CGL2016-76431-P and CGL2017-82654-P, AEI/FEDER-UE, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Few European sites have yielded human dental remains safely dated to the end of MIS 4/beginning of MIS 3. One of those sites is Marillac (Southwestern France), a collapsed karstic cave where archeological excavations (1967–1980) conducted by B. Vandermeersch unearthed numerous faunal and human remains, as well as a few Mousterian Quina tools. The Marillac sinkhole was occasionally used by humans to process the carcasses of different prey, but there is no evidence for a residential use of the site, nor have any hearths been found. Rare carnivore bones were also discovered, demonstrating that the sinkhole was seasonally used, not only by Neanderthals, but also by predators across several millennia. The lithostratigraphic units containing the human remains were dated to ∼60 kyr. The fossils consisted of numerous fragments of skulls and jaws, isolated teeth and several post-cranial bones, many of them with traces of perimortem manipulations. For those already published, their morphological characteristics and chronostratigraphic context allowed their attribution to Neanderthals. This paper analyzes sixteen unpublished human teeth (fourteen permanent and two deciduous) by investigating the external morphology and metrical variation with respect to other Neanderthal remains and a sample from modern populations. We also investigate their enamel thickness distribution in 2D and 3D, the enamel-dentine junction morphology (using geometric morphometrics) of one molar and two premolars, the roots and the possible expression of taurodontism, as well as pathologies and developmental defects. The anterior tooth use and paramasticatory activities are also discussed. Morphological and structural alterations were found on several teeth, and interpreted in light of human behavior (tooth-pick) and carnivores' actions (partial digestion). The data are interpreted in the context of the available information for the Eurasian Neanderthals., Pocos yacimientos europeos han proporcionado restos dentales humanos datados con seguridad al final del MIS 4/principio del MIS 3. Uno de ellos es Marillac (suroeste de Francia), una cueva kárstica colapsada donde las excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas por B. Vandermeersch desenterraron numerosos restos de fauna y humanos, así como algunas herramientas del Musteriense Quina. El yacimiento de Marillac fue utilizado ocasionalmente por los humanos para procesar los cadáveres de diferentes presas, pero no hay pruebas de que el lugar hubiera sido utilizado para fines residenciales, ni se ha encontrado ningún hogar. También se descubrieron huesos de carnívoros, lo que demuestra que la cavidad fue utilizada estacionalmente, no sólo por los Neandertales, sino también por depredadores a lo largo de varios milenios. Las unidades litoestratigráficas que contienen los restos humanos fueron fechadas en ∼60 kyr. Los fósiles consisten en numerosos fragmentos de cráneos y mandíbulas, dientes aislados y varios huesos poscraneales, muchos de ellos con rastros de manipulaciones perimortem, de interpretación discutida. En este trabajo se analizan dieciséis dientes humanos inéditos (catorce permanentes y dos deciduos) detallando la morfología externa y la variación métrica con respecto a otros restos Neandertales y una muestra de poblaciones modernas. También investigamos la distribución del espesor del esmalte en 2D y 3D, la morfología de la unión esmalte-dentina (utilizando morfometría geométrica) de un molar y dos premolares, las raíces y la posible expresión del taurodontismo, así como patologías y defectos del desarrollo, o el uso de los dientes anteriores y las actividades paramasticatorias. Detallamos alteraciones morfológicas y estructurales en varios dientes, interpretadas a la luz del comportamiento humano (huellas de palillos) y de las intervenciones de los carnívoros (digestión parcial). Los datos se interpretan en el contexto de la información disponible para los Neander, Unión Europea. Horizonte 2020, Université Paris VI ‘Pierre et Marie Curie’, Université Bordeaux, French Ministry of Culture, Ministère de la Culture of France, Service Régional de l'Archéologie (DRAC Poitou-Charentes), Conseil Général de la Charente, Conseil Municipal de Marillac-le-Franc, Princeton University, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (MICYT), Max Planck Institute (Germany), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Background Context The congenital midline non-union of the posterior arch of the atlas is a developmental variant present at a frequency ranging from 0.7% to 3.9%. Most of the reported cases correspond to incidental findings during routine medical examination. In cases of posterior non-union, hypertrophy of the anterior arch and cortical bone thickening of the posterior arches have been observed and interpreted as adaptive responses of the atlas to increased mechanical stress. Purpose We sought to determine if the congenital non-union of the posterior arch results in a change in the shape of the atlas. Study Design/Setting This study is an analysis of the first cervical vertebrae from osteological collections through morphometric geometric techniques. Methods A total of 21 vertebrae were scanned with a high-resolution three-dimensional scanner (Artec Space Spider, Artec Group, Luxembourg). To capture vertebral shape, 19 landmarks and 100 semilandmarks were placed on the vertebrae. Procrustes superimposition was applied to obtain size and shape data (MorphoJ 1.02; Klingenberg, 2011), which were analyzed through principal component analysis (PCA) and mean shape comparisons. Results The PCA resulted in two components explaining 22.32% and 18.8% of the total shape variance. The graphic plotting of both components indicates a clear shape difference between the control atlas and the atlas with posterior non-union. This observation was supported by statistically significant differences in mean shape comparisons between both types of vertebra (p<.0001). Changes in shape were observed in the superior and inferior articular facets, the transverse processes, and the neural canal between the control and non-union vertebrae. Conclusions Non-union of the posterior arch of the atlas is associated with significant changes in the shape of the vertebra., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Allele frequency distribution and statistical parameters of forensic efficiency concerning the Investigator Argus X-12 kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) were determined in a total sample of 641 unrelated Mexican females, including two Mestizo–admixed– populations (n = 309) and seven Amerindian groups (n = 332) from the main regions of the country. Most of the 12 X-STRs were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in all nine Mexican populations. The power of discrimination in females (PD) and Median exclusion chance for trios (MECT) and duos (MECD) of this genetic system based on X-STRs were > 99.99%. Although Mexican populations showed significant pairwise differentiation, a closer relationship was evident between Amerindian groups and nearby Mestizos, in agreement with historical records, previous genetic studies, and X-linked inheritance pattern expectations., CONACYT (Mexico), Qiagen (Mexico), Logitlab (QFB Fermin Mercado-Payan)(Mexico), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

The Philippines are a group of islands in the Asia-Pacific region harboring a high diversity of cultures, languages and people due to various migration waves and different degrees of admixture between neighboring groups. In this work we studied the most populous region of the country – Metropolitan Manila – with a set of small autosomal insertion deletion (indel) polymorphisms, to assess their genetic diversity and usefulness in forensic context. Using a single-tube multiplex reaction we characterized 38 indels in 195 individuals born in the National Capital Region, allowing to establish an allele frequency database for future reference in forensic applications. The genetic diversity observed was high (average heterozygosity = 0.40890), similar to previous studies in other East Asian populations, and the marker set reached good levels of informativeness, with a combined power of discrimination of 99.999999999997% and combined power of exclusion of 99.50%. In conclusion, our study showed that this simple indel multiplex can be useful for forensic applications in Metropolitan Manila Filipino population., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Philippines is an archipelago in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most populated country in Southeast Asia, harboring multiple ethnic groups and cultures. Most of the non-indigenous population is composed by Chinese and Spanish immigrants. In order to characterize the Y-STR composition of Philippines, in the present study, we have collected 74 samples from unrelated males from the three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. These samples were typed for the 27 Y-STR loci included in the YFiler Plus kit. A high Y-STR haplotype diversity was found with all haplotypes being unique in our sample. Low diversity values were found for DYS391 and DYS438 (below 34%) and the multi-loci markers DYS385 and DYF387S1 were among the most diverse ones (above 95%). Since no data is available for the full set of YFiler Plus markers, a smaller set was used to calculate genetic distances between Philippines and other Southeast Asian populations. The results showed no significant differences between our samples and two other samples from Philippines, one from the general population and the other restricted to Luzon region. Significant differences were observed when comparing any of the three Philippines samples with Vietnam and Singapore populations., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), and DNA Program—State University and Justice Court of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

From a comparative study of 222 human and 261 nonhuman primates complete cervical spines, two bony variants associated to the course of the vertebral artery are proposed as unique to genus Homo within primates. First, the opening of the foramen transversarium at C2, a trait present at low frequency in humans (3 to 5.6%). Second, the presence of a bipartite foramen transversarium in the cervical segment C3–C6, a trait that can be observed fully formed in human fetal skeletons, with a clear frequency pattern along the cervical spine (C3 > C4 > C5 > C6 < C7), and the expression of which does not seem to be significantly associated to sex or side. A clear difference is observed in the frequency of a third trait, the foramen transversarium at C7, present in all the human spines studied, practically absent in Strepsirrhini, at low frequency in Platyrrhini, and generalized in Catarrhini. These findings, together with previous data regarding absence and presence of foramina at C1, indicate a pattern of gain and loss of foramina in the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae for genus Homo. The test of a possible explanation of these differences as associated to anatomical changes of the cervical spine due to erect posture and bipedal locomotion needs further research in the morphology and function of the primate cervical spine., Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (Gobierno de Mexico), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2011-28681, CGL2011-27343, CGL2010-21672, RYC-2009-04533 to D.M.A., BES-2009-020612 to M.P.R. and JCI-2010-08241 to I.C.V) as well as the Generalitat de Catalunya (2009 SGR 754 GRC). CESPA Gestión de Residuos, S.A.U. funded fieldwork at ACM. Microtomographic images were made at the Multidisciplinary Laboratory of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics thanks to the ICTP/Elettra EXACT Project funded by Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy)., New dental remains of the fossil great ape Anoiapithecus brevirostris are described from the Middle Miocene local stratigraphic series of Abocador de Can Mata (ACM) in els Hostalets de Pierola (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula). These specimens correspond to maxillary fragments with upper teeth from two female individuals from two different localities: left P3–M1 (IPS41712) from ACM/C3-Aj (type locality; 11.9 Ma [millions of years ago]); and right M1–M2 and left P4–M2 (IPS35027) from ACM/C1-E* (12.3–12.2 Ma). Relative enamel thickness is also computed in the latter individual and re-evaluated in other Middle Miocene hominoids from ACM, in order to better assess their taxonomic affinities. With regard to maxillary sinus development, occlusal morphology, molar proportions and enamel thickness, the new specimens show greater resemblances with the (male) holotype specimen of A. brevirostris. They differ from Pierolapithecus catalaunicus in displaying less inflated crests, a more lingually-located hypocone, and relatively lower-crowned molars; from Dryopithecus fontani, in the relatively thicker enamel and lower-crowned molars; from Hispanopithecus spp., in the more inflated crown bases, less peripheral cusps and more restricted maxillary sinus; and from Hispanopithecus laietanus also in the thicker crests, more restricted occlusal foveae, and relatively lower-crowned molars. The new specimens of A. brevirostris show some slight differences compared with the holotype of this species: smaller size (presumably due to sexual size dimorphism), and less distally-tapering M2 occlusal contour (which is highly variable in both extant and extinct hominoids). The reported remains provide valuable new evidence on dental intraspecific variation and sexual dimorphism in Anoiapithecus. From a taxonomic viewpoint, they support the distinction of this taxon from both Dryopithecus and Pierolapithecus. From a chronostratigraphic perspective, IPS35027 from ACM/C1-E* enlarges the, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Genetic studies were financed by the Spanish Ministry of Government. This research is part of the project financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICIMM) CSO2009-09681., The identification process of a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) is presented. The presumed location of the grave, as well as the presumed number and identities of the persons buried in the grave were obtained exclusively from witnesses’ and relatives’ testimonies. In agreement with the testimonies, the grave was located at the indicated location and five skeletons were exhumed. Also in agreement with the testimonies, the osteological and DNA study led investigators to propose the identification of two kin groups, a father and his son and a pair of brothers. But the genetic study did not support the identification of a fifth man presumed to have been buried in the grave. The differences and similarities between this case and another case reported earlier are discussed., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

The internal (nasal and paranasal) cranial anatomy of the Middle Miocene (11.9 Ma [millions of years ago]) great ape Pierolapithecus catalaunicus (Hominidae: Dryopithecini) is described on the basis of computed-tomography scans of the holotype specimen (IPS21350), with particular emphasis on its phylogenetic implications. Pierolapithecus displays the following characters: an anteriorly-restricted maxillary sinus that posteriorly spreads towards the ethmoidal area (thus resembling the pongine condition), although being situated well above the molar roots (as in kenyapithecins, other dryopithecins and pongines); lack of frontal sinus (a synapomorphy of derived pongines, independently acquired by both cercopithecoids and hylobatids); posteriorly-situated turbinals (as in Pongo); anteriorly-projecting nasolacrimal canal (as in Pongo); and probably stepped nasal floor with non-overlapping premaxillary emaxillary contact (as in dryopithecines and stem hominoids, although it cannot be conclusively shown due to bone damage). Overall, Pierolapithecus displays a mosaic of primitive hominid and derived pongine features that are inconsistent with this taxon being a hominine (as previously suggested). Two alternative phylogenetic interpretations are possible: Pierolapithecus may be a stem member of the Hominidae as previously suggested in its original description, or alternatively this taxon may be a stem member of the Ponginae s.l. (with the European dryopithecines being the sister taxon to the Asian pongines)., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Genetic studies were financed by the Spanish Ministry of Government. This research is part of the project financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) CSO2009-09681., The identification process of human skeletal remains exhumed from a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) is presented. Information regarding the presumptive location of the grave and the presumptive number and identities of the persons buried in the grave was collected from interviews and written records from relatives and witnesses, as well as from research at the penitentiary archive. Antemortem individual data were collected from testimonies, and from research from penitentiary, army and civil archives. The consistency between data obtained from testimonies, archives, archeology and osteology allowed a targeted approach to DNA typing based on the assumption of the finding of a closed synchronic group. Two were the first genetic studies requested: the first study focused in the identification of a family group presumptively buried in the grave, compatible with a group of four skeletons that were associated on the basis of dental non-metric traits; the second study focused on the identification of the youngest person presumptively buried at the grave, compatible with the biologically youngest skeleton exhumed. A complete match between 16 Y-STR loci was observed for the four skeletons, as well as a match between mtDNA profiles of the biologically youngest skeleton and the sister of the youngest person presumptively known to be buried in the grave. These results, together with the accumulated evidence, led to propose the identification of these five persons. To date, identifications have been proposed for 17 out of 46 skeletons exhumed from the grave., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

The degree of fusion at the anterior aspect of the sacral vertebrae has been scored in 242 male and female skeletons from the Lisbon documented collection, ranging from 16 to 59 years old in age. Statistical tests indicate a sex difference towards earlier fusion in young females compared with young males, as well as a clear association between degree of fusion and age. Similar results have been found by other authors in documented skeletal samples from Coimbra and Sassari, and the recommendations stated by these authors regarding age estimation have been positively tested in the Lisbon collection. Although more research from geographically diverse samples is required, a general picture of the pattern of sacral fusion and its associations with age and sex is emerging. We also provide a practical example of the usefulness of the sacrum for age estimation in a forensic setting, a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War. It is concluded that the scoring of the degree of fusion of the sacral vertebrae, specially of S1–2, can be a simple tool for assigning skeletons to broad age groups, and it should be implemented as another resource for age estimation in the study of human skeletal remains., Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

The absence of population-specific standards for sex, age and stature estimation for rural Guatemala is problematic for the forensic analysis of skeletal remains recovered from clandestine graves attributed to the recent armed conflict in that country. In order to increase the reliability of the forensic analyses being undertaken in Guatemala, standards for metric determination of sex were developed. Data was collected on several bones; the results for the humerus are presented here. A sample of 118 complete humeri (68 male and 50 female) was studied; maximum length, maximum diameter of the head, circumference at midshaft, maximum diameter at midshaft, minimum diameter at midshaft and epicondylar breadth were measured and subjected to discriminant function analysis. The classification accuracies for the univariate functions range from 76.8% for the maximum diameter at midshaft to 95.5% for the maximum diameter of the head. The classification accuracy for the stepwise procedure was 98.2%, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Supported by the Timothy and Jean Morbach Research Fund of the University of MichiganDearborn and the Children in Poverty Program, Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor., Human body size and body proportions are interpreted as markers of ethnicity, ‘race,’ adaptation to temperature, nutritional history and socioeconomic status. Some studies emphasize only one of these indicators and other studies consider combinations of indicators. To better understand the biocultural nature of human size and proportions a new study of the growth of Maya-American youngsters was undertaken in 1999 and 2000. One purpose of this research is to assess changes in body proportion between Maya growing up in the US and Maya growing up in Guatemala. Height and sitting height of 6–12-year-old boys and girls (n=360) were measured and the sitting height ratio [sitting height/height]×100, a measure of proportion, was calculated. These data are compared with a sample of Maya of the same ages living in Guatemala and measured in 1998 (n=1297). Maya-American children are currently 10.24 cm taller, on average, and have a significantly lower sitting height ratio, (i.e. relatively longer legs, averaging 7.02 cm longer) than the Guatemala Maya. Maya-American children have body proportions more like those of white children in the US than like Maya children in Guatemala. Improvements in the environment for growth, in terms of nutrition and health, seem to explain both the trends in greater stature and relatively longer legs for the Maya-Americans. These findings are applied to the problem of modern human origins as assessed from fossil skeletons. It has been proposed that heat adapted, relatively long-legged Homo sapiens from Africa replaced the cold adapted, relatively short-legged Homo neandertalensis of the Levant and Europe [J Hum Evol 32 (1997a) 423]. Skeletal samples of Maya adults from rural Guatemala have body proportions similar to adult Neandertals and to skeletal samples from Europe with evidence of nutritional and disease stress. Just as nutrition and health status explains the differences in the body proportions of living Maya children, these factors, along w, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub