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Quantification of dentine shape in anthropoid primates
Anthony J Olejniczak1, Lawrence B Martin, Lilian Ulhaas
1Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA. aolejnic@ic.sunysb.edu
Summary
Primate molar dentine shape, specifically the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ), can distinguish primate taxa. This finding suggests dentine morphology is a valuable tool for phylogenetic studies.
Area of Science:
- Primate paleontology
- Comparative anatomy
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Primate molar enamel morphology is widely used in phylogenetic studies.
- The phylogenetic utility of primate molar dentine morphology remains largely unexplored.
- Quantifying dentine shape is crucial for evaluating its phylogenetic significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the phylogenetic utility of primate molar dentine shape.
- To quantify dentine morphology using geometric morphometrics.
- To compare the phylogenetic informativeness of dentine versus enamel morphology.
Main Methods:
- A two-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis (EDMA-II) was applied.
- Nine homologous landmarks were analyzed on sectioned maxillary molars.
- Sampled primates included extant ceboid, cercopithecoid, and hominoid groups.
Main Results:
- Dentine shape (enamel-dentine junction configuration) effectively distinguished taxa at multiple taxonomic levels (superfamilies, subfamilies, genera, species).
- Primate phylogenetic relationships can be identified using dentine morphology.
- Cercopithecoid primates exhibited a unique dentine shape, potentially linked to bilophodont molar development.
Conclusions:
- Molar dentine morphology, particularly the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ), is a reliable indicator of phylogenetic affinity in primates.
- Dentine morphology may be more evolutionarily conservative than enamel, making it potentially superior for phylogenetic analyses.
- The distinct EDJ shape in cercopithecoids may be associated with their specialized bilophodont molars, offering insights into primate dental evolution.