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New evidence for canine dietary function in Afropithecus turkanensis.

Andrew S Deane¹

¹Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40514, USA. andrew.deane@uky.edu

Journal of Human Evolution

|May 5, 2012

Summary

Afropithecus turkanensis possessed unique canine adaptations for a specialized diet, similar to pitheciin monkeys, suggesting a dietary function for its canines. These adaptations may have facilitated hominoid expansion into Eurasia.

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Area of Science:

Paleoanthropology
Primate Paleontology
Functional Morphology

Background:

Afropithecus turkanensis shares cranial and post-cranial similarities with Proconsul.
Extant pitheciin monkeys exhibit unique canine morphology linked to sclerocarp foraging.
The functional significance of Afropithecus's anterior dental and gnathic morphology remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the functional morphology of Afropithecus turkanensis's anterior dentition.
To compare Afropithecus's canine and incisor morphology with extant pitheciin monkeys.
To infer the dietary adaptations of Afropithecus based on functional morphology.

Main Methods:

Comparative morphological analysis of Afropithecus turkanensis and extant pitheciin monkeys (Chiropotes, Cacajao).
Quantitative morphometric analyses of canine curvature and basal dimensions.
Assessment of premaxillary and incisor morphology and procumbency.

Main Results:

Afropithecus exhibits canine and gnathic features convergent with pitheciins, including robust, splayed canines and procumbent incisors.
Morphometric analyses reveal pronounced mesial canine crown contours and increased resistance to bending in Afropithecus, similar to pitheciins.
Afropithecus and pitheciins share elongated, curved premaxillae and incisor isolation, indicating convergent functional complexes.

Conclusions:

Afropithecus turkanensis possessed a unique canine dietary function, likely for processing hard fruit pericarp, a strategy convergent with pitheciin monkeys.
Despite dietary convergence, significant differences in post-canine morphology, gape, and body size suggest distinct diets between Afropithecus and pitheciins.
The specialized canine function in Afropithecus may have been crucial for hominoid ecological expansion into Eurasia during the early Miocene.