Does Morphological Disparity Reflect Taxonomic Diversity in Early Hominins?

This thesis examines whether hominin morphological disparity is reflected in expert opinion of taxonomic diversity in African hominins pre-Homo erectus. Measurements of the mandibular first molar, mandibular canine, and proximal femur were collated from the existing published literature. Morphological disparity was analyzed in one million year time bins. This analysis shows that hominin morphological disparity does not tightly track with the number of high-confidence species known, but that it may be useful in answering questions related to functional diversity.

Author

• Coyne, Isabel

Language

• en

Keyword

• Morphological disparity
• Hominin evolution
• Functional diversity
• Taxonomic diversity

Date created

• 2026

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Human Paleobiology

Degree

• M.S.

Advisor

• Barr, W. Andrew

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/73666556t