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    15 June 1996, Volume 15 Issue 02
    A small-sized ape from the Xiaohe Area Hominoid Sites, Yuanmou, Yunnan
    Pan Yuerong
    1996, 15(02):  93-188. 
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    Yuanmou County is located in northern Yunnan Province about 100 km southeast of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. The Xiaohe area hominoid sites are situated in the northwestern portion of the Yuanmou Basin.
    The small-sized ape described in this paper is associated with a large hominoid, which was excavated by the joint team from the Yunnan Provincial Museum and the Yuanmou Man Exhibition Hall from 1986 to 1990. The small-sized ape remains were recovered from Loc. 8801, 8803 and 8807. All localities in the Xiaohe area are roughly contemporary in age and are younger than the Lufeng hominoid site (8 Ma) on the basis of their mammalian fauna.
    The material includes 36 isolated teeth except C, I2 and P3.The small ape is named Dianopithecus progressus gen. et sp. nov. and distinguished from Laccopithecus robustus from Lufeng in that the buccal and lingual cingula are lacked or much reduced in the cheek teeth. The flat upper incisors are short and broad and the upper premolar is subtriangular in outline with a closely buccal and lingual cusps. The upper molars exhibit curved mesial and distal edges. The large P4 is characterized by a relatively shallow talonid basin, the fovea anterior is reduced and there is a ridge from the anterior part of the protoconid extending to the base of the crown. The distance between the protoconid and hypoconid is relatively short and the hypoconulid is reduced in the lower molars especially in M1. The lower molar has a small triangular fovea which is situated in the posterior part of anterior fovea, between the protoconid and metaconid. The groove system conforms to the basic Dryopithecus Y-pattern in the M1.
    Dianopithecus progressus gen. et sp. nov. is similar to L. robustus in the week cingula, large M3,reduced hypoconulid and mesiodistally elongated lingual cusps in the lower molars, dimorphic canines, elongated lower molars and molariform P4.
    As described above, the dental morphology of Dianopithecus progressus gen. et sp. nov. is similar to Laccopithecus robustus from Lufeng in size and some morphological features and to H. syndactylus and H. concolor in other aspects. The dental morphology of Dianopithecus progressus gen. et sp. nov. differs from L. robustus with the exception of its dimorphic canines. The morphology of D. progressus is closer to that of modern gibbons than it is to L. robustus. In the mammalian fauna. Dorcabune, Propotamochoerus, Metacervulus, Muntiacus and Hipparion are common but Selenoportax, which is present at the Lufeng hominoid site, is absent. Ailurarctos yuanmouensis and a primitive small-sized suid are only found in the Yuanmou hominoid site. The faunal changes indicate not only a change in the geological age but also a change in the paleoenvironment.
    The reduction of canine dimorphism is one of the most important occurrences during gibbon evolution. Dianopithecus progressus still presents the dimorphic canine although in other respects it is similar to extant hylobatids. The heights of the canines, in the male and female, are 12.0 mm and 7.3 mm, respectively. It is therefore suggested that the reduction in sexual dimorphism in the canines perhaps evolved late in the evolution, of small-sized apes. Some morphological features of Dianopithecus progressus gen. et sp. nov. are intermediate between Laccopithecus robustus from Lufeng and extant hylobatids. It is, thus, intriguing and adds important information toward the search for gibbon origins and also indicates that Yunnan Province is a key area for the study of gibbon evolution.
    Preliminary report on the excavation of Dagang Microlithic Site in Wuyang County,Henan Province
    Zheng Juzhong, Li Zhanyang
    1996, 15(02):  105-113. 
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    Dagang microlithic site lies on the north of Dagang village in Wuyang county, Henan Province at 113° 42′ E and 33° 40 ′ N. It was excavated two times. 327 pieces of stone artifacts were unearthed from the fourth layer. In the third layer were found the early Neolithic relics belonging to Peiligang Culture in North China.
    The stone artifacts from layer 4 consist of microlith and small artifacts produced by direct percussion. The microlithic industry includes wedge-shaped core, half-conical core, micro-blade and micro-tool made on the micro-blade. The small artifacts could be divided into cores and flakes, bipolar cores and flakes and small tools which are trimmed on the flake, such as scrapers, pointed tools and only one flake with the polished edge.
    On the basis of the main technique and type of artifacts, the Dagang assemblage should belong to the microlithic technological tradition in North China. It is closely related to those from Lingjing site in Xuchang county, Henan Province and Xiachuan sites, Shanxi Province. According to the stratigraphic relation of the site, the age of L4 could be dated to be the end of upper Paleolithic or slightly later as on top of the layer is directly deposited by the early Neolithic remains attributing to Peiligang Culture. It affords good samples to study the cultural transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic and the distribution and development of the microlithic technological tradition in North China.
    ESR dating on the stratigraphy of Yunxian Homo erectus, Hubei, China
    Chen Tiemei, Yang Quan, Hu Yanqiu et ul.
    1996, 15(02):  114-118. 
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    Two almost complete fossil hominid crania (EV9001 and EV9002) had been early reported to be found in 1989 and 1990 in Middle Pleistocene terrace deposit of Han River, Yunxian county, Hubei province, China. They are classified as Homo erectus. In this paper ten fossil animal teeth stratigraphically associated with the skulls were selected for electron spin resonance (ESR) dating. Since ESR ages depend on the behaviour of uranium in fossils, the closed system assumption was checked for the fossil samples and early uranium uptake model was applied to age determination. Single exponent function was used to fit the ESR intensity response to the irradiation dose and its appropriateness was discussed.
    The mean age and the standard deviation for these samples are 581 ± 93 ka. It deviates from the geomagnetic dating result of 830-870 ka. The possible systematic errors in ESR dating were discussed and they could not account for the disagreement. Anyway the dating results place Yunxian crania in between the Homo erectus found at Lantian and Zhoukoudian and indicate that Yunxian crania constitute an important link in the human evolutionary lineage of China.
    Physique, body type of Daurs' adults and their changes in the past for more than half a century
    Zhu Qin, Fu Jie, Liu Wenzhong et al.
    1996, 15(02):  119. 
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    An anthropological study of 187 male and 166 female Daurs (aged 20-60 years) living in Melidawa Banner, Inner Mongolia was carried out in July 1993. Eight observational items and 33 measurements were investigated.
    The results can be summarized briefly as follows:
    1. The physical characters of Daurs: The average stature of male is 169.4 cm, and that of female is 157.1 cm. They belong to the ultramedium type in both sexes. The arm span is longer than the stature in male and equal in female. The head belongs to brachycephaly, hypsicephaly and metriocephaly. The morphological facial index belongs to mesoprosopy and euruprosopy for male and female respectively. Mongolian fold is absent in about three fourths in male and half in female. Double eyelids are manifested in high percentage. Nose is low in most females. The nasal bridge is straight and the nasal index belongs to mesorrhing. The indices of bodily part belong to lanstamming, mittelbrusty, mittelschultrig and mittelbecking.
    2. The comparison shows that during the past 58 years the stature of male Daurs increased by 3.8 cm with an increasing rate of 0.7 cm each decade. The other metrical values of bodily part have also increased obviously, but most of the metrical values of cephalofacial part and the indices of bodily part have no significant difference in comparison with the data of the past for more than half a century.
    3. The level of the physique and the development of subcutaneous fat of urban Daurs are better than those in rural area.
    The physical development and body type of Han children in Henan
    Zhang Wenxue, Zhang Suli, Zhang Bo et al.
    1996, 15(02):  127-134. 
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    A total of 797 Han nationality children living in Xinxiang district of Henan province from 4 to 13 years old has been investigated. The measurements include (1) stature; (2) span of arms; (3) body weight; (4) length of upper arm, foream, hand, thigh, leg and foot; (5) breadth of shoulder, hand, pelvis, foot; (6) sitting height and height of foot, cervicale above sitting plane; (7) chest circumference. 8 constitutional indices were calculated. The indices include stature-sitting height index, stature-weight index, stature-chest circumference index, stature-shoulder breadth index, stature-pelvic breadth index, Vervaeck index, Erismann index, and Kaup index. Characteristics of physical development of children were analysed. In general, there are no significant sexual difference in 18 measurements which increase with ages. There are two cross phenomena in most items between boys and girls, and the time when cross phenomena take place is earlier than that reported. The changes of 14 indices with ages are divided into 3 kinds: increased, decreased, first decreased and then increased. The indices of bodily part belong to langstamming, narrow thorax, narrow shoulder, narrow pelvis.
    The measurement of the tibia and its sexual diagnosis in Chinese
    Shan Tao, Ding Shihai, Ding Zhou
    1996, 15(02):  135-144. 
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    One hundred and twenty-seven pairs of tibias of Chinese were measured. They were collected from Changchun and Tongliao Districts, Liaoning Province. Twenty-six measurements including the length, width, circumferece, diameter and angle were measured and four indices were calculated. The results show that most measurements have no statistic difference between two sides, but the sex-difference of all the measurements are highly significant (P<0.01). The data were analysed by using Fisher's method. Five discriminant formulae for sex determination with accuracy test on the same series of tibias produced correct results in 78.3% to 82.3% of cases.
    Estimating pubic age by photograph of soft X-ray
    Zhang Zhongyao, Lu Dengzhong, Liu Yongsheng et al.
    1996, 15(02):  145-186. 
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    This article reports the estimation of male and female pubic age by the photography of soft X-ray. The pubic bones of 118 male and 108 female Chinese with exact birthdate from 10 to 60 years old were collected. According to the relationship between variations of pubic bones microstructure and age, a new quantification standard was designed by multi-variant statistical analysis, and the data observed from this criterion was analysized by stepwise regression quantification I theory. Two equations were set up for the estimation of male and female pubic age by means of electronic computer.
    The multivariate analysis on the rhesus skulls from Hunan, Hubei, Fujian and Guangdong
    Yu Fahong, Peng Yanzhang, Pan Ruliang
    1996, 15(02):  151-158. 
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    This paper carried out the multivariate analysis on the skulls of rhesus monkeys distributing in Hunan, Hubei, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, China. The results of ONEWAY analysis on 20 variables of the skulls showed that the rhesus group of Hunan-Hubei has relatively larger skull and more well-developed masticate organs than those of Guangdong-Fujian group. There are significantly different skull characteristics between Hunan-Hubei group and Fujian-Guangdong group. Hainan island group could be evidently identified from other groups. Those differences might be the results of the geographical and ecological isolations. It is suggested that the rhesus monkeys distributing in Hunan-Hubei and Fujian-Guangdong belong to two different groups or subspecies of Macaca mulatta.
    Alloparenting for newborns of Macaca thibetana
    Deng Ziyun, Zhao Qikun
    1996, 15(02):  159-165. 
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    Alloparenting in Tibetan macaques was studied with point and focal animal sampling methods in the second half of the 1987 birth season (between March and June). The groups were provisioned by tourists in warm seasons and might be observed closely. Within the first 23 weeks, infants were caretaken by alloparents for 10.5% of their time (7.3% with adult males, 1.9% with non-mother adult females, and 1.3% with juveniles), mainly adult males. In comparison with the females, males involved more often in caretaking, inspecting, retrieving and rejecting infants. They played only with male infants. Females showed more curiosity to newborns and inspected them earlier. Juveniles played with infants most often, but involved in other interactions least often. The intensive alloparenting may be selected to compensate the mother's high investment to offspring under poor foraging condition. The "sexual discrimination" to infants may be traced to mothers' greater care for daughters than for sons and the "cute" responses to the erecting penis of male infants.
    Two comments on the dispute of uranium dating in Chaoxian human
    Chen Tiemei
    1996, 15(02):  171-172. 
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    Stepwise discriminant analysis on cephalic in adults for sexual difference
    Li Ren, Li Hao, Liu Shuyuan, Wang Conghe
    1996, 15(02):  172-174. 
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    A study on relationship of stature and arm span among Han college students in Shandong Peninsula Area
    Fan Xiaoguang, Ding Shihai, Xia Yujun
    1996, 15(02):  175-178. 
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    Analysis of cephalic and facial soft tissue thickness in Chinese Han adult females and 6 ethnic groups
    Chen Shourong, Deng Guoshun
    1996, 15(02):  178-180. 
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    Analysis of normal human bone mineral content of Uygur and Kazak teenagers in Changji, Xinjiang
    Sheng Tingzhen, Chui Mingzhen, Li Zhaoshan, Wang Tianhe et al.
    1996, 15(02):  180-182. 
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