Olduvai Hominid 8

Olduvai Hominid number 8 (OH 8) - was found in the Olduvai by Louis Leakey in the early 1960s.^[1] Subsequent analysis has provided much thought^{[clarification needed]}. Recent analysis (Kidd, O'Higgins & Oxnard, JHE, 1996) has demonstrated quite clearly that the fossil assemblage exhibits both ape and human characteristics.^[2] Essentially, the lateral side (i.e. caudal) contains human-like characteristics while the medial side (i.e. cranial) contains ape-like features. This may be looked upon as a missing link in terms of mid-tarsal joint function. Later fossil finds, as exemplified by the so-called "Little Foot" (STW573), do not contradict this - they in fact complement this finding (Kidd & Oxnard 2004). Further work by Zipfel and Kidd (2006) and Zipfel, DeSilva and Kidd, 2009) further complement these findings. Moreover, they collectively lead to an intregrative model of pedal evolution of caudo-cranial, disto-proximal changes.

References

1. ^ M. H. Day and B. A. Wood. "Functional Affinities of the Olduvai Hominid 8 Talus". Man, New Series, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep., 1968), pp. 440-455 (Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland). JSTOR 2798879. 
2. ^ Kidd RS, O'Higgins P and Oxnard CE (1996). "The OH8 foot: A reappraisal of the functional morphology of the hindfoot utilising a multivariate analysis". Journal of Human Evolution 31: 269–292. doi:10.1006/jhev.1996.0061. 

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