Dental Fluctuating Asymmetry: Environmental Factors Influencing Cayo Santiago Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Dental...

Increased fluctuating asymmetry, or random differences between right and left sides, has been associated with developmental stress or developmental instability. This study examines fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of mesio-distal and bucco-lingual dimensions of deciduous maxillary molars (m¹, m²), and permanent maxillary premolars and molars (P³, P⁴, M¹, M²) of 466 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) born between 1950 and 2018 from Cayo Santiago (CS), Puerto Rico. All included individuals were of known age, sex, birth year, and matriline. We assess whether a secular trend occurs in FA over a 68-year period, sex differences in FA, and whether environmental or management factors in the colony history resulted in decreased FA. Regression of FA on birth year tested for a secular trend in FA. A mixed-model two-way analysis of variance was used to test for the influence of food supplementation, tetanus vaccination and hurricane experience during dental development on FA. Differences across matrilines in response to the management or environmental factors were tested by ANOVA. There was no significant secular trend in FA. There was limited reduction of FA with implementation of the high protein diet, and limited support for the decreased FA associated with the implementation of tetanus vaccination. There is also limited difference in dental FA associated with exposure to a hurricane during dental development. Matrilineal differences in FA were observed for several teeth. The free-ranging environment of Cayo Santiago is a complex environment, with many factors influencing the development of young rhesus macaques. While the introduction of a high protein diet or the implementation of a tetanus vaccination program may have improved individual health overall, there are likely other factors that may cause developmental stress and result in dental FA.