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Mandibular growth and function in Archaeolemur

M J Ravosa¹, E L Simons

¹Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611-3008.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

|September 1, 1994

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Mandibular symphysis fusion in Archaeolemur, a lemur, develops with age, becoming complete in adults. This fusion likely counters increased chewing forces, particularly dorsoventral shear stress.

Area of Science:

Paleontology
Primate Anatomy
Functional Morphology

Background:

The mandibular symphysis, a joint connecting the two jaw halves, exhibits varying degrees of fusion across primate species.
Understanding symphyseal fusion in extinct primates like Archaeolemur provides insights into masticatory adaptations and evolutionary pressures.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe ontogenetic changes in the mandibular symphysis morphology of Archaeolemur.
To infer the functional significance of symphyseal fusion in this subfossil lemur.

Main Methods:

Morphological analysis of the mandibular symphysis across different developmental stages of Archaeolemur.
Comparative analysis with other primate taxa to understand evolutionary patterns of symphyseal fusion.

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Main Results:

Symphyseal fusion in Archaeolemur progresses with age, becoming complete by adulthood.
Fusion appears to be driven by increased dorsoventral shear stress during mastication, particularly in adults.
Juvenile Archaeolemur symphyses show little resistance to wishboning or vertical bending forces.

Conclusions:

Symphyseal fusion in Archaeolemur is an ontogenetically patterned response to masticatory forces.
Increased dorsoventral shear, likely due to jaw muscle recruitment, is the primary driver of fusion.
Wishboning forces may become significant only after symphyseal fusion has occurred to counter shear stress.