Neural tube, Spheno-occipital Flexion and Semi-circular Canals in Modern and Fossil Hominids

Anne Dambricourt Malassé (1) , Jean-Pascal Martin (2) , Eric de Kerviler (3)

1 L'Homme préhistorique : son évolution, son milieu, ses activités
2 Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale
3 Service de radiologie [Saint-Louis]

The position of the cartilaginous occipital, the sphenoidal angle, the frontalization of the petrous bone and the orientation of the foramen magnum, are major characteristics of basic-cranio-facial evolution in hominids. It bas become standard to associate them and to notice their evolution or spatial organization according to the degree of spheno-occipital flexion. A study by scanning an ontogenetic series of Pan troglodytes and modem man's cranium, gives the first glimpse, with an application to complet fossilized craniums, or fragments of isolated petrous bone. such as Qafzeh (Homo sapiens), La Ferrassie and La-Chapelle-aux- Saints (Homo neanderlhalensis), Sambugmacan and Solo 1 (Homo erectus). Paleontological and modem data indicate three groupings of around a same flexion: Great Apes, fossil Homo and Modem Man.

Mots clés: Computed tomography; Embryogeny; Hominids; Neural tube; Semi-circular canals; Sphenoidal flexion

Domaines: Archéologie et Préhistoire; Evolution [q-bio.PE]

Anne Dambricourt Malassé, Jean-Pascal Martin, Eric de Kerviler. Neural tube, Spheno-occipital Flexion and Semi-circular Canals in Modern and Fossil Hominids. Wu Xinzhi, Zhang Senshui. Proceedings of 1999 Beijing International Symposium on Paleoanthropology, Dong Wei, pp.69-76, 2000. ⟨halshs-00439862⟩