TY - JOUR
T1 - Body mass estimation from footprint size in hominins
AU - Ruff, Christopher B.
AU - Wunderlich, Roshna E.
AU - Hatala, Kevin G.
AU - Tuttle, Russell H.
AU - Hilton, Charles E.
AU - D'Août, Kristiaan
AU - Webb, David M.
AU - Hallgrímsson, Benedikt
AU - Musiba, Charles
AU - Baksh, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Jérémy Duveau for making available the complete data set for the Le Rozel sample and for clarifying several issues, Kewal Krishan for providing data and clarifications regarding the Gujjar Indian sample, Izzet Duyar for providing information on the Turkish sample, and Isabelle de Groote for answering some questions regarding the original Happisburgh sample analyses. For the other foot and footprint samples included in the study, we thank the following people and funding sources: Machinguenga: Data collection and analyses were supported by the National Science Foundation ( BNS-8504290 ), the Marian and Adolf Lichstern Fund for Anthropological Research, the Social Sciences Divisional Research Fund of the University of Chicago , and the Harvard Travellers Club . Daasanach: Data collection was accomplished with funding from NSF ( BCS-1232522 ), the Leakey Foundation , and the Wenner Gren Foundation ( 8592 ). We also thank the National Museums of Kenya, Koobi Fora Field School, and the Ileret community for logistical support, and Heather Dingwall, Matt Ferry, John Mwangi, Job Naasak, Nyako, Brian Richmond, and Ben Sila for their assistance with data collection. Pumé: Funding for data collection was provided by the University of New Mexico's Latin American Institute and Department of Anthropology, and Sigma Xi . Hadzabe: Data collection was supported by the Marian and Adolf Lichstern Fund for Anthropological Research, and the University of Chicago Social Sciences Divisional Research Grant No. 4-56004 and Center for International Studies . We would also like to thank the Mang'ola village government and the Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Natural Resources, National Institute of Medical Research and the Commission for Science and Technology of Tanzania for issuing research and ethics permits. Samoans: Data were collected with support from the James Madison University College of Science and Mathematics. We would also like to thank the Samoan Rugby Union and their players, and Michael Deasy for facilitating the work. Indians: Data collection was supported by the Fund for Scientific Research–Flanders (project G.0125.05), by the University of Antwerp ( BOF grant # 1094 ) and by the Flemish Government through structural support to the Centre for Research and Conservation. We would also like to thank the staff of the Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences in Bangalore, Dr. Ranjendakumar and staff at KGF, and the staff in Mandya. Chimpanzees: Chimpanzee data were collected with support from the NSF ( BCS-1232522 ), the Leakey Foundation , and the Wenner-Gren Foundation ( 8592 ), and with help from Brigitte Demes, Kristin Fuehrer, and Susan Larson. Finally, we would like to thank the editors and three reviewers for their useful comments on the original manuscript.
Funding Information:
We would like to thank J?r?my Duveau for making available the complete data set for the Le Rozel sample and for clarifying several issues, Kewal Krishan for providing data and clarifications regarding the Gujjar Indian sample, Izzet Duyar for providing information on the Turkish sample, and Isabelle de Groote for answering some questions regarding the original Happisburgh sample analyses. For the other foot and footprint samples included in the study, we thank the following people and funding sources: Machinguenga: Data collection and analyses were supported by the National Science Foundation (BNS-8504290), the Marian and Adolf Lichstern Fund for Anthropological Research, the Social Sciences Divisional Research Fund of the University of Chicago, and the Harvard Travellers Club. Daasanach: Data collection was accomplished with funding from NSF (BCS-1232522), the Leakey Foundation, and the Wenner Gren Foundation (8592). We also thank the National Museums of Kenya, Koobi Fora Field School, and the Ileret community for logistical support, and Heather Dingwall, Matt Ferry, John Mwangi, Job Naasak, Nyako, Brian Richmond, and Ben Sila for their assistance with data collection. Pum?: Funding for data collection was provided by the University of New Mexico's Latin American Institute and Department of Anthropology, and Sigma Xi. Hadzabe: Data collection was supported by the Marian and Adolf Lichstern Fund for Anthropological Research, and the University of Chicago Social Sciences Divisional Research Grant No. 4-56004 and Center for International Studies. We would also like to thank the Mang'ola village government and the Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Natural Resources, National Institute of Medical Research and the Commission for Science and Technology of Tanzania for issuing research and ethics permits. Samoans: Data were collected with support from the James Madison University College of Science and Mathematics. We would also like to thank the Samoan Rugby Union and their players, and Michael Deasy for facilitating the work. Indians: Data collection was supported by the Fund for Scientific Research?Flanders (project G.0125.05), by the University of Antwerp (BOF grant #1094) and by the Flemish Government through structural support to the Centre for Research and Conservation. We would also like to thank the staff of the Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences in Bangalore, Dr. Ranjendakumar and staff at KGF, and the staff in Mandya. Chimpanzees: Chimpanzee data were collected with support from the NSF (BCS-1232522), the Leakey Foundation, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation (8592), and with help from Brigitte Demes, Kristin Fuehrer, and Susan Larson. Finally, we would like to thank the editors and three reviewers for their useful comments on the original manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Although many studies relating stature to foot length have been carried out, the relationship between foot size and body mass remains poorly understood. Here we investigate this relationship in 193 adult and 50 juvenile habitually unshod/minimally shod individuals from five different populations—Machiguenga, Daasanach, Pumé, Hadzabe, and Samoans—varying greatly in body size and shape. Body mass is highly correlated with foot size, and can be predicted from foot area (maximum length × breadth) in the combined sample with an average error of about 10%. However, comparisons among populations indicate that body shape, as represented by the body mass index (BMI), has a significant effect on foot size proportions, with higher BMI samples exhibiting relatively smaller feet. Thus, we also derive equations for estimating body mass from both foot size and BMI, with BMI in footprint samples taken as an average value for a taxon or population, estimated independently from skeletal remains. Techniques are also developed for estimating body mass in juveniles, who have relatively larger feet than adults, and for converting between foot and footprint size. Sample applications are given for five Pliocene through Holocene hominin footprint samples from Laetoli (Australopithecus afarensis), Ileret (probable Homo erectus), Happisburgh (possible Homo antecessor), Le Rozel (archaic Homo sapiens), and Barcin Höyük (H. sapiens). Body mass estimates for Homo footprint samples appear reasonable when compared to skeletal estimates for related samples. However, estimates for the Laetoli footprint sample using the new formulae appear to be too high when compared to skeletal estimates for A. afarensis. Based on the proportions of A.L. 288-1, this is apparently a result of relatively large feet in this taxon. A different method using a ratio between body mass and foot area in A.L. 288-1 provides estimates more concordant with skeletal estimates and should be used for A. afarensis.
AB - Although many studies relating stature to foot length have been carried out, the relationship between foot size and body mass remains poorly understood. Here we investigate this relationship in 193 adult and 50 juvenile habitually unshod/minimally shod individuals from five different populations—Machiguenga, Daasanach, Pumé, Hadzabe, and Samoans—varying greatly in body size and shape. Body mass is highly correlated with foot size, and can be predicted from foot area (maximum length × breadth) in the combined sample with an average error of about 10%. However, comparisons among populations indicate that body shape, as represented by the body mass index (BMI), has a significant effect on foot size proportions, with higher BMI samples exhibiting relatively smaller feet. Thus, we also derive equations for estimating body mass from both foot size and BMI, with BMI in footprint samples taken as an average value for a taxon or population, estimated independently from skeletal remains. Techniques are also developed for estimating body mass in juveniles, who have relatively larger feet than adults, and for converting between foot and footprint size. Sample applications are given for five Pliocene through Holocene hominin footprint samples from Laetoli (Australopithecus afarensis), Ileret (probable Homo erectus), Happisburgh (possible Homo antecessor), Le Rozel (archaic Homo sapiens), and Barcin Höyük (H. sapiens). Body mass estimates for Homo footprint samples appear reasonable when compared to skeletal estimates for related samples. However, estimates for the Laetoli footprint sample using the new formulae appear to be too high when compared to skeletal estimates for A. afarensis. Based on the proportions of A.L. 288-1, this is apparently a result of relatively large feet in this taxon. A different method using a ratio between body mass and foot area in A.L. 288-1 provides estimates more concordant with skeletal estimates and should be used for A. afarensis.
KW - Australopithecus
KW - Body mass index
KW - Foot
KW - Homo
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105873648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85105873648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102997
DO - 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102997
M3 - Article
C2 - 33993031
AN - SCOPUS:85105873648
SN - 0047-2484
VL - 156
JO - Journal of Human Evolution
JF - Journal of Human Evolution
M1 - 102997
ER -