The Suprainiac Fossa: The Question of Homology - Caspari - 2005

The suprainiac fossa has been defined many ways, but can be most broadly defined as a depression above the inion whose expression is variable. It is ubiquitous in Neanderthals, and has often been considered a Neanderthal autapomorphy. Yet, similar depressions occur in some other hominids, including modern humans from the Upper Paleolithic. It has been argued that the suprainiac fossa of the Early Upper Paleolithic Europeans is not homologous to the form in Neanderthals. In this paper, the question of homology is examined. First, suprainiac fossa variation within Neanderthals is established; second, variation in modern humans, including Early Upper Paleolithic specimens is assessed and the question of the structural uniqueness of the Neanderthal suprainiac fossa is addressed. Finally, two developmental models for the suprainiac fossa are proposed to account for the fossa in juveniles and adults. The adult model suggests that the suprainiac fossa is related to the formation of posterior cranial superstructures and other aspects of cranial shape. This raises questions about the meaning of homology in this and other structures whose expression is mediated by remodelling.

Keywords

Suprainiac fossa - Neanderthals - Early modern humans - Mladeč

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