Hominid teeth and their relationship to hominid phylogeny

Hominid fossil teeth are analyzed in terms of size and shape and contrasted with teeth from a modern population to determine boundaries that can be placed on a reconstruction of the hominid phylogeny. Teeth alone are considered as they are the only material preserved in large enough quantities to measure population variability accurately. Problems with the use of indices such as size and shape as species markers are discussed. Conclusions that are made about possible phylogenies are based on the analysis of size and shape.