Skeletal Anomalies in The Neandertal Family of El Sidron (Spain) Support A Role of Inbreeding in Neandertal Extinction.

ABSTRACT: Neandertals disappeared from the fossil record around 40,000 bp, after a demographic history of small and isolated groups with high but variable levels of inbreeding, and episodes of interbreeding with other Paleolithic hominins. It is reasonable to expect that high levels of endogamy could be expressed in the skeleton of at least some Neandertal groups. Genetic studies indicate that the 13 individuals from the site of El Sidrón, Spain, dated around 49,000 bp, constituted a closely related kin group, making these Neandertals an appropriate case study for the observation of skeletal signs of inbreeding. We present the complete study of the 1674 identified skeletal specimens from El Sidrón. Altogether, 17 congenital anomalies were observed (narrowing of the internal nasal fossa, retained dec

SUBMITTER: Rios L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6368597 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature