title: Some additional morphological and metrical observations on Pan brain casts and their relevance to the Taung endocast.
abstract: Using an increased sample of chimpanzee brains and brain casts, 32 hemispheres were measured to determine the variability of OP-FP (occipital-pole) and OP-LS (occipital pole-lunate sulcus) arc dimensions and their ratios. The Taung endocast was remeasured to test Falk's assertions that the lunate sulcus is in a pongid position. The average ratio for the chimpanzee brains was 0.218, a value more than 2+ S.D.'s posterior to Falk's placement of the lunate sulcus on the Taung specimen. It is suggested that the chimpanzee and Taung occipital poles have a different morphometric pattern, the former being coincident with the caudal end of the LC (lateral calcarine) fissure. The Taung OP-LS arc consistently measured at least 42 mm, and not 40 mm as claimed by Falk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Holloway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005580:Fossils; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010163:Paleontology; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*