鄂西“南方古猿”和印尼早更新世若干人类化石

THE “AUSTRALOPITHECUS” OF WEST HUBEI AND SOME EARLY PLEISTOCENE HOMINIDS OF INDONESIA

在鄂西发现的四枚臼齿化石曾被认为是南方古猿的。鄂西臼齿,从其齿冠尺寸和形状等来看,与非洲的有关材料对比,更接近人属成员的;与印尼早更新世有关的化石对比,与魁人等的很相似。直立人牙齿的演化趋势和变异性表明:鄂西臼齿以及印尼早更新世人类下颌骨化石更大的可能是代表一类时代较早的直立人。

Four molars found in West Hubei have been believed to represent a new species of Australopithecus in Asia. The molars are characterized by their large size and narrow shape. The comparable materials taken into account in this study show that the molars are quite similar to those of Homo sp. of Africa and of Meganthropus of Indonesia in size and shape.New finds of Homo erectus in China suggest that the early Homo erectus may be larger than the late one in average tooth size. The variability in tooth and mandible size of Homo erectus is greater than that observed before. It is acceptable that the molars of West Hubei are considered as Homo erectus, together with the Early Pleistocene mandibles of Meganth-roups palaeojavanicus, Pithecanthropus dubius, Pithecanthropus B and S9.