Zur Bedeutung der Subsistenzform für den menschlichen Sexualdimorphismus

Although recent Homo sapiens exhibit a modest secondary somatic sexual dimorphism, there is a marked variation in the degree of sexual dimorphism (male to female ration of stature) among populations. As ultimate and proximate causes endogeneous factors, such as a genetic component, as well as exogeneous factors, such as nutritional situation, latitude, ecological factors, mating systems (monogamy versus polygamy) and patterns of subsistence are discussed. The A. analyses the variation in the degree of secondary sexual dimorphism among two different populations (Kavango and !Kung San), who live in a comparable ecological situation, however following completely different kinds of subsistence (agriculture versus hunter-gatherer). It turns out, that the sexual dimorphism of stature and other length and height dimensions is higher within the !Kung San hunter gatherers than within the Kavango agricultural-pastoralists. These results are in accordance with those of several studies, in which the sex specific division of labour and women's contribution to food production/collection are discussed as main causes for interpopulational variation in sexual dimorphism.