ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to review the sexually dimorphic characters in the fossil record and how they might be interpreted in the context of our current understanding of primate socioecology.
AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFARENSIS
Size variation among individuals referred to as A. afarensis is striking (Aiello 1990, Aiello and Dean 1990, Frayer and Wolpoff 1985, Hartwig-Scherer 1993, Johanson et al. 1978, Johanson et al. 1982, Johanson and White 1979, Jungers 1988, Leutenegger 1982a, b, Leutenegger and Shell 1987, Lovejoy et al. 1989, McHenry 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991a, b, 1992a, b). Significant shape variation between the large and small individuals may be present as well (e.g. Senut 1978, 1980, 1986, Senut and Tardieu 1985, Stern and Susman 1983, Susman et al. 1984, Tardieu 1981, 1983, 1986, Zihlman 1985). Many have suggested that more than one species of hominid is represented in the Hadar and Laetoli collections from strata dated between 3.7 and 2.9 Myr (e.g. Coppens 1981, 1983, Falk 1986, Hartwig-Scherer 1993, Olson 1981, 1985, Schmid 1983, Senut and Tardieu 1985, Tuttle 1981, Zihlman 1985), but there is strong evidence that only one species is represented (e.g. Johanson and White 1979, Johanson et al. 1978, Kimbel 1984, 1986, Kimbel and White 1988b, Kimbel et al. 1982, McHenry 1983, 1991a, 1992a, White 1985, White et al. 1981).
