The “sediba” could not biting force other australopithecines – Terra Peru

The “Australopithecus sediba”, found in South Africa in 2008, lacked the jaw and tooth structure needed to be with a regular diet of hard foods, according to a study published today in the journal “Nature”.

This research sheds light on the characteristics of this new species of hominid, who lived less than two million years ago in woodlands and could be a link between the ape-man South African ( Australopithecus africanus) and the first men.

After being discovered nearly nine years ago, a study in 2012 suggested that the “sediba” means “fountain” in the South African language Sesotho, fed on leaves, fruits, bark trees and other plants.

However, this new research, developed by a group of international experts led by the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg (South Africa), disproves that theory after observing that their teeth and jaws not they were adapted to this diet.

“Most australopithecines had amazing adaptations in its jaws, teeth and faces that allow them to process hard foods to chew or break. Among other qualities, were able to bite effectively applying a great strength, “says anthropologist David Strait, Washington University in St. Louis (EE. UU.).

One exception seems to be the “Australopithecus sediba” as his jaw structure prevented him from applying great pressure to bite or chew.

“If I had tried to bite as hard with their molar teeth, applying the maximum power of the jaw muscle had been dislocated jaw,” adds Justin Ledogar, University of new England (Australia).

Scientists have reached these conclusions by developing, among others, biomechanical testing of the skull of a “Australopithecus sediba” in a computer program.

This model analyzed the remains of the two-a boy and a woman skeletons found in 2008 in a cave in the Sterkfontein region of South Africa, 40 kilometers from Johannesburg, declared cot Site by many fossils it contains.

The above tests, experts say, are similar to the biomechanical test used to measure the tensile strength of airplanes, cars and many other machines.

“These unexpected discoveries, but frankly fascinating, are backed by the meticulous study conducted by a group of scientists for more than a decade, with an experimental investigation of the mechanics of chewing designed to show the validity of the model computer-aided “said Kristian Carlson from the University of Witwatersrand.

Although this work does not address the possibility that the “sediba” is a close link to the first humans, it does provide further evidence of the influence they had on hominid dietary changes in the origin and evolution of our species.

humans, remember, The also have limitations on how hard they can bite or crush, perhaps similar to those of the most primitive food, while others analyzed Australopithecus “did not have many limitations. ”

“This means that some populations of Australopithecus evolved structures to strengthen their jaws, while others, including the ‘sediba’ evolved in the opposite direction,” adds Ledogar.