Ribcage Morphology in Native South American Populations From Different Altitudes: Insights From a Global Comparative Framework
The pronounced ribcage depth in native South Americans could represent a population-specific trait maintained through long-term interactions, potentially advantageous in high-altitude settings but neutral in the lowlands. In addition, we propose that South American highlanders have a larger ribcage relative to their smaller body size compared to lowlanders. Finally, the larger and stockier male ribcage morphology in South Americans supports the notion of greater respiratory capacity and metabolic demands in males.
Authors
- Verónica Seldes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6886-0379)
- Soledad Salega (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4798-0897)
- Mariana Fabra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7269-6639)
- Mario A. Arrieta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0236-4655)
- Daniel García‐Martínez
- M. D. D’Angelo del Campo
- M. Bastir
- J. M. López‐Rey
- P. Mercolli
- G. Bettera Marcat
Institutions
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
- Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (AR)
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (AR)
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (AR)
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (AR)
- Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tandil (AR)
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (ES)
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES)
- University of Saint Francis Xavier (BO)
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (ES)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- American Journal of Human Biology
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70211
- Primary Topic
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- European Commission
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- Universidad de Buenos Aires
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica