人类学学报 ›› 2010, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (02): 150-158.

• 人类学学报 • 上一篇    下一篇

再论南京直立人的高耸鼻梁和气候适应

张银运; 刘武   

  • 出版日期:2010-06-15 发布日期:2010-06-15

More on the strongly projecting nasal bones of Nanjing Homo erectus and climatic adaptation

ZHANG Yin-yun; LIU Wu   

  • Online:2010-06-15 Published:2010-06-15

摘要: 对南京直立人所具有的高耸鼻梁, 本文作者曾从人鼻的功能、鼻梁高耸程度与气候因素的关系以及因纽特人的鼻对寒冷气候的适应等方面进行过论证,认为是对气候适应的结果。本文从南京直立人的生存年代、若干形态项目的可靠性、人类的适应性以及高耸鼻梁的化石人类谱系对这一问题作进一步的论证。结果表明: 1)尚无可靠的证据能够否定南京直立人是生活在距今58—62万年这一年代测定数据。在南京直立人生存时,欧洲远古人类尚未具有像南京直立人那样的高耸鼻梁; 2)人类高耸鼻梁这一适应性特征的形成会有永久性的影响, 是遗传特征, 其后代即使生活在与其祖先不同的气候环境里, 这个特征也不会马上改变; 3)如果有所谓的Bodo高鼻梁的化石人类谱系存在的话, 则南京直立人的高耸鼻梁与欧洲化石人类的基因或与这个Bodo谱系的基因并无遗传上的关系。一个合理的解释是, 南京直立人的高耸鼻梁不可能意味着西方血统。

关键词: 南京直立人; 高耸的鼻梁; 西方血统; 气候适应

Abstract: This research examines the dates for Homo erectus from Nanjing (known as Nanjing 1), and an interpretation of climatic adaptation based on nasal bone features with a comparative sample including Bodo, Kabwe, Petralona and Atapurca SH5. The results show that:
1) The Nanjing 1 dates of 580-620 Kyr are acceptable. During this period, highly projecting nasal bones have not been found in crania from Africa, Europe and West Asia. Theerefore, these nasal feature of Nanjing 1 cannot be used as an evidence of western affinities.
2) Highly projecting nasal bones are products of adaptation to cold and/or dry climates. As an adaptative feature, this structure results from genetic changes and thus has a permanent effect on the population even if the environment changes. It is not surprising therefore that a fossil hominid with highly projecting nasal bones (such as Nanjing 1) lived in an environment that was different from its ancestors.
3) There is no relationship between the nasal feature of Nanjing 1 and gene flow from European population or from the Bodo lineage.
The results of this research support the view that the highly projecting nasal bones of Nanjing 1 are products of climatic adaptation rather than gene flow.

Key words: Homo erectus; Nanjing; Highly projecting nasal bones; Western affinities; Climatic adaptation