American journal of physical anthropology
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Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. · Jan 2002
ReviewInterpreting the posture and locomotion of Australopithecus afarensis: where do we stand?
Reconstructing the transition to bipedality is key to understanding early hominin evolution. Because it is the best-known early hominin species, Australopithecus afarensis forms a baseline for interpreting locomotion in all early hominins. While most researchers agree that A. afarensis individuals were habitual bipeds, they disagree over the importance of arboreality for them. ⋯ The apparent stasis in Australopithecus postcranial form is currently the strongest evidence for stabilizing selection maintaining its primitive features. Evidence from features affected by individual behaviors during ontogeny shows that A. afarensis individuals were habitually traveling bipedally, but evidence presented for arboreal behavior so far is not conclusive. By clearly identifying the questions we are asking about early hominin fossils, refining our knowledge about character polarities, and elucidating the factors influencing morphology, we will be able to progress in our understanding of the posture and locomotion of A. afarensis and all early hominins.