Publication Date:
2019
Description:
〈p〉Nursing is pivotal in the social and biological evolution of hominins, but to date, early-life behavior among hominin lineages is a matter of debate. The calcium isotopic compositions (〈sup〉44/42〈/sup〉Ca) of tooth enamel can provide dietary information on this period. Here, we measure the 〈sup〉44/42〈/sup〉Ca values in spatially located microsized regions in tooth enamel of 37 South African hominins to reconstruct early-life dietary-specific variability in 〈i〉Australopithecus africanus〈/i〉, 〈i〉Paranthropus robustus〈/i〉, and early 〈i〉Homo.〈/i〉 Very low 〈sup〉44/42〈/sup〉Ca values (Homo but not in 〈i〉A. africanus〈/i〉 and 〈i〉P. robustus〈/i〉. In these latter taxa, transitional or adult nonmilk foods must have been provided in substantial quantities relative to breast milk rapidly after birth. The results suggest that early 〈i〉Homo〈/i〉 have continued a predominantly breast milk–based nursing period for longer than 〈i〉A. africanus〈/i〉 and 〈i〉P. robustus〈/i〉 and have consequently more prolonged interbirth interval.〈/p〉
Electronic ISSN:
2375-2548
Topics:
Natural Sciences in General
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