Homo erectus is the first hominin species with a truly cosmopolitan distribution and resembles recent humans in its broad spatial distribution. The microevolutionary events associated with dispersal and local adaptation may have produced similar population structure in both species. Understanding the evolutionary population dynamics of H. erectus has larger implications for the emergence of later Homo lineages in the Middle Pleistocene. Quantitative genetics models provide a means of interrogating aspects of long-standing H. erectus population history narratives. For the current study, cranial fossils were sorted into six major palaeodemes from sites across Africa and Asia spanning 1.8–0.1 Ma. Three-dimensional shape data from the occipital and frontal bones were used to compare intraspecific variation and test evolutionary hypotheses. Results indicate that H. erectus had higher individual and group variation than Homo sapiens, probably reflecting different levels of genetic diversity and population history in these spatially disperse species. This study also revealed distinct evolutionary histories for frontal and occipital bone shape in H. erectus, with a larger role for natural selection in the former. One scenario consistent with these findings is climate-driven facial adaptation in H. erectus, which is reflected in the frontal bone through integration with the orbits.

中文翻译：

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重建已灭绝古人类的颅骨进化

直立人是第一个具有真正世界性分布的人类物种，并且在其广泛的空间分布上类似于现代人类。与扩散和局部适应相关的微进化事件可能在两个物种中产生了相似的种群结构。了解直立人的进化种群动态对中更新世晚期人类谱系的出现具有更大的意义。定量遗传学模型提供了一种询问长期存在的直立人种群历史叙述方面的方法。在目前的研究中，颅骨化石被分类为来自非洲和亚洲的六个主要古动物，跨越 1.8-0.1 Ma。枕骨和额骨的三维形状数据用于比较种内变异和检验进化假设。结果表明，直立人比智人具有更高的个体和群体变异，可能反映了这些空间分散物种的不同水平的遗传多样性和种群历史。该研究还揭示了直立人额骨和枕骨形状的不同进化历史，在前者中自然选择的作用更大。与这些发现一致的一种情况是直立人的气候驱动的面部适应，这通过与轨道的整合反映在额骨中。前者对自然选择的作用更大。与这些发现一致的一种情况是直立人的气候驱动的面部适应，这通过与轨道的整合反映在额骨中。前者对自然选择的作用更大。与这些发现一致的一种情况是直立人的气候驱动的面部适应，这通过与轨道的整合反映在额骨中。