y2017m01b13 20170130101200 assa nadine@assaf.org.za assa South African Journal of Science S. Afr. J. Sci 1996-7489 01242017 Volume 113 Number 1/2 Osteopathology and insect traces in the Australopithecus africanus skeleton StW 431 Edward J. Odes http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2842-3844 School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Alexander H. Parkinson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9067-7266 Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Patrick S. Randolph-Quinney http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0694-5868 School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa School of Forensic and Applied Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom Bernhard Zipfel Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Kudakwashe Jakata Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Heather Bonney Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom Lee R. Berger http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0367-7629 Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Abstract We present the first application of high-resolution micro computed tomography in an analysis of both the internal and external morphology of the lumbar region of StW 431 – a hominin skeleton recovered from Member 4 infill of the Sterkfontein Caves (South Africa) in 1987. The lumbar vertebrae of the individual present a number of proliferative and erosive bony processes, which were investigated in this study. Investigations suggest a complex history of taphonomic alteration to pre-existing spinal degenerative joint disease (SDJD) as well as post-mortem modification by an unknown insect. This study is in agreement with previous pathological diagnoses of SDJD which affected StW 431 and is the first time insect traces on this hominin are described. The results of this analysis attest to the complex series of post-mortem processes affecting the Sterkfontein site and its fossil assemblages. 01242017 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/za/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/za/ 10.17159/sajs.2017/20160143 20170130101200 http://sajs.co.za/osteopathology-and-insect-traces-australopithecus-africanus-skeleton-stw-431/edward-j-odes-alexander-h-parkinson-patrick-s-randolph-quinney-bernhard-zipfel-kudakwashe-jakata http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf http://sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/SAJS-113-1-2_Odes_ResearchArticle.pdf