The global expansion from southern Africa by modern humans? Its signal may be shown more through the cranial shape of males than females

Abstract

As the geographical distance between populations increases, populations are known to become more distant (dissimilar) in biological measures such as cranial shape. Relationships between geographical distance and biological distance are thought to be explained by modern humans having expanded from Africa. Expansion from Africa is also thought to explain why biological diversities (e.g., cranial shape diversity) decrease as geographical distance from Africa goes up. Research has suggested that modern humans expanded through different routes. If there were different routes, perhaps the relationship between geographical distance and cranial shape distance declines as the population (that distances are measured from) gets further away from Africa. This study used cranial shape measurements derived from the Howells data, and found that such a decline was suggested for males, unlike for females. It has been reasoned that variables which indicate the global expansion should signal an area of origin which is only in Africa. The relationship between geographical and cranial shape distances did not signal an exclusively African area. However, for males, the area was primarily in Africa. Overall, the relationship seemed to represent the expansion better amongst males than females. Congruently, cranial shape diversity declined more strongly for males than females as geographical distance from Africa accrued. To estimate which area of Africa the global expansion originated in, previous research pooled an estimate from genetic diversities, and suggested a southern origin. This estimate was supported when adding cranially-derived variables to the pooling, including the relationship between geographical distance and male cranial shape distance.