The early Pleistocene deciduous hominid molar FS ‐72 from the Sangiran dome of java, Indonesia: A taxonomic reappraisal based on its comparative endostructural characterization

A reappraisal of the early Pleistocene hominid molar FS-72 from the Sangiran Dome, Java, challenges its long-standing classification as part of the Homo erectus hypodigm. Using advanced 2-3D virtual imaging and geometric morphometric analyses, researchers found that FS-72's internal structure—characterized by thinner enamel and a pongine-like enamel-dentine junction morphology—more closely resembles fossil orangutans (Pongo) than Homo erectus or modern humans. This discovery underscores the complexity of taxonomic assignments for isolated teeth in Java's Pleistocene deposits, where overlap between hominid and great ape traits complicates identification. The study highlights the significance of endostructural analysis in resolving ambiguous fossil classifications.

Zanolli, C., Grine, F. E., Kullmer, O., Schrenk, F., & Macchiarelli, R. (2015). The early Pleistocene deciduous hominid molarFS‐72 from the Sangiran dome of java, Indonesia: A taxonomic reappraisal based on its comparative endostructural characterization. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 157(4), 666–674. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.22748