title: The type specimen (LB1) of Homo floresiensis did not have Laron syndrome.
abstract: The type specimen (LB1) of Homo floresiensis has been hypothesized to be a pathological human afflicted with Laron Syndrome (LS), a type of primary growth hormone insensitivity (Hershkovitz et al.: Am J Phys Anthropol 134 [2007] 198-208). Comparing measurements, photographs and three-dimensional, computed-tomography reconstructions of LB1 with data and diagnoses from the literature on LS, we critically evaluate numerous skull and postcranial traits that Hershkovitz et al. identified as being shared by LB1 and patients with LS. The statements regarding most of these traits are new to the clinical literature and lack quantitative support. LB1 and patients with LS differ markedly in the size and shape of the cranium; thickness and pneumatization of cranial bones; morphology of the face, mandible, teeth, and chin; form of the shoulder, wrist, and pelvis; and general body proportions including relative foot size. Claims that patients with LS are similar to LB1 in displaying protracted scapulae, short clavicles, low degrees of humeral torsion, flaring ilia, and curved tibiae are not supported by data or corroborating images. Some points of similarity (e.g., femoral neck-shaft angle, femoral bicondylar angle, and estimated stature) can be found in other hominins, and cannot be considered diagnostic. From our review and analysis, we conclude that LB1 did not suffer from LS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-7772, USA. dfalk@fsu.edu
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hildebolt
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jungers
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morwood
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sutikna
authors.lastname: Jatmiko
authors.forename: E Wahyu
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Saptomo
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prior
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D046150:Laron Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed