Morphometric features as tribal predictors in north-western Amazonia.
Multivariate analyses of variance were carried out on stature and weight of 50 adults (25 males, 25 females) from each of two linguistically distinct groups, Maku and Tukanoan, living sympatrically in north-western Amazonia. Results showed significant intertribal differences, with Maku (sylvan hunter-gatherers) being both shorter and lighter than their Tukanoan (riparian fisher-gardeners) conspecifics. Classification with a linear discrimination function achieved 80% accuracy. Stature or weight were equally good predictors of group for men, but for women weight rather than stature was a more powerful predictor. These data offer support for the view that some factor(s) associated with life within the equatorial forest environment appear to select for generally small body physique in humans.
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil; D003105:Colombia; D004032:Diet; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014329:Tropical Climate