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The primate cranial base: ontogeny, function, and integration
D E Lieberman1, C F Ross, M J Ravosa
1Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, and Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|December 21, 2000
Summary
The cranial base is crucial for craniofacial development and evolution in primates. Its shape and growth, influenced by brain size, integrate skull components and played key roles in human origins.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Developmental Biology
- Comparative Anatomy
Background:
- Cranial base development, function, and architecture are vital for understanding craniofacial variation and evolution.
- The chondrocranium and basicranium are key components in cranial growth, integration, and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize primate cranial base growth and development.
- To test hypotheses regarding the chondrocranium and basicranium's roles in primate and human evolution.
- To review evidence for cranial base interactions with the brain and face.
Main Methods:
- Review of interspecific evidence
- Review of experimental evidence
- Review of ontogenetic evidence
Main Results:
- The cranial base integrates growth of adjacent skull regions (brain, eyes, nasal, oral, pharyngeal cavities).
- Brain size relative to cranial base length is a primary driver of basicranial variation, particularly cranial base angle.
- Facial size, orientation, and posture also influence cranial base variation.
Conclusions:
- The cranial base is a key player in craniofacial growth and integration.
- Significant cranial base shape changes were pivotal in primate evolution, anthropoid origins, and the emergence of Homo sapiens.