thermoregulation in hominids Newington Reference Library
(email@example.com) Tue, 17 Dec 1996 19:31:45 +0000
Thermoregulation in Hominids by Andrew Lewis Is it just me or
does anyone else have a problem with the application of Allens
rule to hominids? The rule states that mammals adapt to the
temperature of their environment through variations in limb
length. Longer limbs give the body a larger surface area from
which heat can be dissipated more rapidly. I dont know if this
works with most mammals but when it is applied to hominids it
does not seem to make any sense. However, the rule seems to be
accepted by most anthropologists. Often a Nilotic tribesman is
compared to an Eskimo to illustrate the point. Nilotic tribesmen
live on the equator and are tall and slender with long limbs.
Eskimos live in the arctic and are short with short Nilotic
tribesmen are not typical of people living in the dry tropics,
they are not even typical of Africans living in the dry tropics.
Most black people in Africa are the same s