Insights into the palaeobiology of an early Homo infant: multidisciplinary investigation of the GAR IVE hemi-mandible, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia

A multidisciplinary investigation challenges the diagnosis of amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) on the GAR IVE hemi-mandible, an early Homo infant fossil from Melka Kunture, Ethiopia. Using synchrotron imaging and analysis of associated fauna, researchers found that traits previously linked to AI can be attributed to normal growth or taphonomy, refuting the pathological diagnosis. This study underscores the need for cautious interpretation of dental pathologies in fossils and provides new insights into the emergence of childhood in early Homo, a critical stage in human ontogeny.

Le Cabec, A., Colard, T., Charabidze, D., Chaussain, C., Di Carlo, G., Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S., Hublin, J.-J., Melis, R. T., Pioli, L., Ramirez-Rozzi, F., & Mussi, M. (2021). Insights into the palaeobiology of an early Homo infant: multidisciplinary investigation of the GAR IVE hemi-mandible, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02462-1