Table 2.
Dental measures for H. naledi and comparative hominin species
| Maxillary | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I1 | I2 | C | P3 | P4 | M1 | M2 | M3 | ||||||||||
| MD | LL | MD | LL | MD | LL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | ||
| Au. anamensis | n | 3 | 5 | – | 2 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| mean | 10.8 | 8.7 | – | 7.3 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 9.9 | 12.6 | 8.9 | 13.6 | 11.5 | 12.9 | 13.0 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 14.2 | |
| range | 9.1–12.4 | 8.2–9.3 | – | 7.0–7.5 | 9.9–12.3 | 9.1–11.8 | 8.2–11.8 | 10.1–14.3 | 7.2–12.1 | 12.6–14.2 | 7.8–14.3 | 9.0–16.7 | 10.9–16.3 | 12.9–16.1 | 11.1–15.7 | 13.0–15.7 | |
| Au. afarensis | n | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| mean | 10.7 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 9.9 | 10.8 | 8.8 | 12.4 | 9.1 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 13.4 | 12.9 | 14.6 | 12.7 | 14.5 | |
| range | 9.9–11.8 | 7.1–9.7 | 6.6–8.2 | 6.2–8.1 | 8.8–11.6 | 9.3–12.5 | 7.7–9.7 | 11.3–13.4 | 7.6–10.8 | 11.1–14.5 | 10.5–13.8 | 12.0–15.0 | 12.1–13.6 | 13.4–15.2 | 10.9–14.8 | 13.1–16.3 | |
| Au. africanus | n | 15 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 28 |
| mean | 10.7 | 8.3 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 9.2 | 12.7 | 9.5 | 13.4 | 12.9 | 13.9 | 14.1 | 15.7 | 14.2 | 16.0 | |
| range | 9.4–12.5 | 7.4–9.1 | 5.8–8.0 | 5.6–7.9 | 8.8–11.0 | 8.7–12.0 | 8.5–10.2 | 10.7–14.5 | 7.2–11.0 | 12.4–15.3 | 11.7–14.4 | 12.9–15.3 | 12.1–16.3 | 12.8–17.9 | 11.2–16.9 | 13.1–18.6 | |
| Au. sediba | n | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| mean | 10.1 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 11.2 | 9.3 | 12.1 | 12.9 | 12.0 | 12.9 | 13.7 | 13.0 | 13.5 | |
| range | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 12.6–13.3 | 12.9–14.1 | |
| H. naledi | n | – | 5 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| mean | 9.4 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 10.5 | 8.1 | 11.0 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 12.8 | 11.6 | 12.4 | |
| range | 8.8–9.8 | 6.3–7.0 | 6.3–7.0 | 5.8–6.6 | 7.3–8.9 | 8.0–9.6 | 7.7–8.4 | 9.8–11.0 | 7.7–8.7 | 10.5–11.2 | 10.5–12.4 | 11.2–12.4 | 11.0–13.0 | 11.9–13.6 | 11.0–12.7 | 11.4–13.4 | |
| H. habilis | n | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| mean | 10.6 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 9.8 | 9.0 | 11.9 | 9.2 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 13.0 | 12.7 | 14.3 | 12.3 | 14.7 | |
| range | 10.1–11.1 | 7.3–8.7 | 6.7–8.1 | 6.0–7.9 | 8.5–9.4 | 8.5–11.6 | 8.1–9.6 | 11.0–12.7 | 8.5–9.9 | 11.0–13.1 | 11.6–13.9 | 12.1–14.1 | 11.8–13.5 | 13.5–16.2 | 11.3–13.9 | 13.2–16.6 | |
| H. rudolfensis | n | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| mean | 12.3 | 7.7 | – | – | 11.5 | 12.5 | 10.5 | 13.6 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.3 | 15.8 | 13.3 | 13.5 | |
| range | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9.7–10.7 | 11.1–13.8 | 13.9–14.2 | 13.3–14.8 | 14.1–14.6 | 14.1–17.6 | – | – | |
| H. erectus | n | 11 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 34 | 32 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 16 |
| mean | 10.3 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 11.8 | 8.1 | 11.6 | 12.2 | 13.2 | 12.0 | 13.3 | 10.5 | 12.8 | |
| range | 8.1–12.6 | 7.0–11.7 | 6.0–8.3 | 6.9–8.5 | 8.5–11.1 | 9.0–11.8 | 7.1–10.1 | 9.5–13.8 | 7.0–9.4 | 9.9–13.4 | 10.1–14.6 | 11.0–15.9 | 10.3–13.6 | 10.9–15.5 | 8.7–14.7 | 10.4–15.8 | |
| H. neanderthalensis | n | 28 | 37 | 35 | 41 | 28 | 29 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 22 | 21 |
| mean | 9.7 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 10.1 | 8.0 | 10.6 | 7.8 | 10.6 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 10.9 | 12.5 | 9.9 | 12.3 | |
| range | 8.2–11.8 | 7.3–9.9 | 5.8–9.3 | 5.8–9.9 | 7.2–10.0 | 7.6–11.4 | 6.6–9.3 | 8.4–11.8 | 5.9–11.5 | 8.3–11.7 | 9.5–13.5 | 11.0–14.2 | 8.9–15.9 | 10.8–14.6 | 8.2–11.4 | 9.8–14.6 | |
| H. heidelbergensis | n | 21 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 27 |
| mean | 9.6 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 9.8 | 7.9 | 10.6 | 7.6 | 10.3 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 10.2 | 12.3 | 8.9 | 11.6 | |
| range | 8.7–10.7 | 7.1–9.9 | 7.2–8.4 | 7.3–8.6 | 8.1–11.0 | 8.8–11.8 | 7.1–9.0 | 9.2–12.2 | 7.0–8.8 | 9.1–11.5 | 9.9–12.3 | 10.3–13.2 | 8.1–12.1 | 11.1–13.8 | 7.6–11.0 | 10.0–13.2 | |
| MP/LP African Homo | n | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 9 |
| mean | 9.0 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 8.4 | 10.8 | 8.1 | 10.8 | 12.3 | 13.2 | 11.0 | 12.9 | 9.2 | 11.7 | |
| range | 6.3–10.9 | 6.6–8.7 | 6.0–9.3 | 6.1–8.5 | 8.2–9.5 | 8.8–10.0 | 8.1–8.7 | 9.9–11.8 | 7.5–9.3 | 9.4–12.8 | 10.4–14.0 | 12.0–15.0 | 7.8–13.0 | 11.0–15.0 | 7.6–10.2 | 10.0–13.2 | |
| Mandibular | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I1 | I2 | C | P3 | P4 | M1 | M2 | M3 | ||||||||||
| MD | LL | MD | LL | MD | LL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | MD | BL | ||
| Au. anamensis | n | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| mean | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 12.4 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 11.3 | 12.9 | 12.3 | 14.0 | 13.4 | 15.3 | 13.4 | |
| range | 6.8–6.9 | – | 6.6–8.7 | 7.9–8.6 | 6.6–13.9 | 9.2–11.4 | 11.3–13.4 | 8.6–10.0 | 7.4–9.8 | 9.6–13.2 | 11.6–13.8 | 10.2–14.8 | 13.0–15.9 | 12.3–14.9 | 13.7–17.0 | 12.1–15.2 | |
| Au. afarensis | n | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 32 | 26 | 31 | 27 | 26 | 23 |
| mean | 6.7 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 10.4 | 9.6 | 10.6 | 9.8 | 11.0 | 13.1 | 12.6 | 14.3 | 13.4 | 15.3 | 13.5 | |
| range | 5.6–7.7 | 5.6–8.0 | 5.0–8.0 | 6.7–8.8 | 7.5–11.7 | 8.0–12.4 | 7.9–12.6 | 8.9–13.8 | 7.7–11.4 | 9.8–12.8 | 10.1–14.8 | 11.0–14.0 | 12.1–16.5 | 11.1–15.2 | 13.4–18.1 | 11.3–15.3 | |
| Au. africanus | n | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 23 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 23 | 29 | 32 | 38 | 38 | 34 | 35 |
| mean | 6.2 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 9.4 | 10.1 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 10.4 | 11.6 | 14.0 | 13.0 | 15.7 | 14.5 | 16.3 | 14.6 | |
| range | 4.8–6.9 | 5.7–7.9 | 5.6–8.1 | 6.6–9.2 | 8.5–10.7 | 8.2–12.1 | 8.8–11.0 | 9.9–13.9 | 8.7–12.3 | 9.3–13.2 | 12.4–15.8 | 11.2–15.1 | 14.2–17.7 | 12.8–16.8 | 13.5–18.5 | 12.2–16.8 | |
| Au. sediba | n | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| mean | – | 5.9 | – | 6.6 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 9.2 | 8.8 | 9.7 | 13.1 | 11.4 | 14.5 | 12.8 | 14.9 | 13.2 | |
| range | – | – | – | – | 7.3–8.0 | 7.4–8.6 | – | – | – | – | 13.1–13.1 | 11.3–11.5 | 14.4–14.5 | 12.3–13.2 | 14.9–14.9 | 12.5–13.6 | |
| H. naledi | n | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
| mean | 6.1 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 12.2 | 10.7 | 13.3 | 11.2 | 13.4 | 12.1 | |
| range | 5.7–7.0 | 5.3–5.9 | 6.6–7.4 | 5.9–6.0 | 6.4–7.5 | 6.9–7.4 | 8.2–9.4 | 8.2–9.7 | 8.3–9.0 | 8.5–10.2 | 11.3–12.7 | 10.3–11.4 | 12.3–14.0 | 10.7–12.2 | 12.9–13.7 | 11.7–12.8 | |
| H. habilis | n | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| mean | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 13.7 | 11.9 | 15.0 | 13.5 | 15.4 | 13.3 | |
| range | 6.4–6.5 | 6.7–7.0 | 7.2–7.7 | 7.6–7.6 | 7.6–9.6 | 7.9–10.0 | 9.0–10.6 | 8.6–11.1 | 9.0–10.5 | 9.9–11.0 | 13.0–14.8 | 10.9–12.8 | 14.2–15.7 | 12.0–15.1 | 14.8–15.9 | 12.4–14.4 | |
| H. rudolfensis | n | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| mean | – | 5.4 | – | 6.7 | – | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 11.4 | 14.0 | 12.7 | 16.0 | 13.7 | 16.4 | 14.1 | |
| range | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9.0–10.7 | 9.5–12.3 | 8.8–11.8 | 9.8–12.2 | 12.8–15.2 | 11.4–13.2 | 14.0–18.3 | 12.7–14.9 | 15.6–17.0 | 13.1–14.6 | |
| H. erectus | n | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 26 | 43 | 43 | 41 | 40 | 26 | 27 |
| mean | 6.2 | 6.4 | 7 | 7.2 | 8.7 | 9 | 9 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 10.1 | 12.7 | 11.9 | 13.3 | 12.5 | 12.7 | 11.7 | |
| range | 4.8–7.4 | 5.8–7.1 | 5.3–8.1 | 6.4–8.5 | 7.0–10.3 | 8.0–10.4 | 7.0–12.0 | 8.2–12.0 | 7.2–10.3 | 8.0–12.5 | 9.9–14.8 | 10.1–13.3 | 11.3–15.3 | 10.8–14.3 | 10.0–15.2 | 10.0–14.2 | |
| H. neanderthalensis | n | 9 | 16 | 23 | 31 | 36 | 41 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 38 | 40 | 26 | 27 | 18 | 20 |
| mean | 5.6 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 9.1 | 7.8 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 11.3 | 12.0 | 11.0 | |
| range | 4.2–6.4 | 5.2–8.8 | 5.9–7.5 | 6.8–9.0 | 6.7–8.8 | 6.8–10.3 | 6.6–9.1 | 8.0–10.3 | 6.5–9.4 | 8.5–10.5 | 10.1–13.6 | 10.2–12.9 | 9.3–14.0 | 8.8–12.4 | 11.2–13.9 | 9.9–12.2 | |
| H. heidelbergensis | n | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 32 |
| mean | 5.6 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 7.9 | 8.9 | 7.2 | 8.7 | 11.3 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 10.0 | |
| range | 4.8–6.5 | 6.0–7.5 | 6.0–7.2 | 6.6–8.0 | 6.9–9.0 | 7.3–10.0 | 7.2–9.0 | 7.6–11.6 | 6.6–8.8 | 7.2–11.7 | 10.4–13.8 | 9.6–13.0 | 9.7–14.6 | 8.5–13.9 | 9.7–13.2 | 8.6–12.5 | |
| MP/LP African Homo | n | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 13 |
| mean | 6.0 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.2 | 8.8 | 9.6 | 8.6 | 9.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 | 13.1 | 11.8 | 12.5 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 11.5 | |
| range | 5.7–6.4 | 6.1–7.2 | 5.6–8.3 | 6.4–8.0 | 7.8–10.0 | 8.8–10.3 | 7.7–9.0 | 8.6–11.2 | 6.9–9.6 | 9.3–11.4 | 10.7–14.2 | 10.0–13.0 | 10.8–15.0 | 9.2–13.6 | 10.6–13.5 | 9.9–12.7 | |
MP, Middle Pleistocene and LP, Late Pleistocene.