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Dean Falk,1*Charles Hildebolt,2Kirk Smith,2M. J. Morwood,3Thomas Sutikna,4Peter Brown,3Jatmiko,4E. Wayhu Saptomo,4Barry Brunsden,2Fred Prior2
The brain of Homo floresiensis was assessed by comparing a virtualendocast from the type specimen (LB1) with endocasts from greatapes, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens, a human pygmy, a human microcephalic,specimen number Sts 5 (Australopithecus africanus), and specimennumber WT 17000 (Paranthropus aethiopicus). Morphometric, allometric,and shape data indicate that LB1 is not a microcephalic or pygmy.LB1's brain/body size ratio scales like that of an australopithecine,but its endocast shape resembles that of Homo erectus. LB1 hasderived frontal and temporal lobes and a lunate sulcus in aderived position, which are consistent with capabilities forhigher cognitive processing.
1 Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA. 2 Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. 3 Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia. 4 Indonesian Centre for Archaeology, JI. Raya Condet Pejaten No. 4, Jakarta 12001, Indonesia.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dfalk{at}fsu.edu
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