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Trends in the Evolution of the Pongid Dentition
Author(s) -
Skaryd Suzanne M.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330350210
Subject(s) - dentition , cingulum (brain) , molar , divergence (linguistics) , reduction (mathematics) , evolutionary biology , orthodontics , biology , paleontology , medicine , mathematics , geometry , white matter , fractional anisotropy , linguistics , philosophy , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging
The question investigated in this paper is whether long‐range, parallel trends in evolution can be sustained in divergent though closely related lines. This study examines fossil and recent pongid dentitions, testing the hypothesis of the existence of certain trends in the pongid dental evolution. These are: reduction of the cingulum in both upper and lower molars; morphological and metrical reduction in third molars; mesial movement of the metaconid; buccal shifting of the hypoconulid; and alteration of the Dryopithecus groove pattern. More broadly the study tests conclusions of a previous study concerning parallelism of trends in the hominoid dentition. The results of reduction of the cingulum, reduction of the third molar, and alteration of the occlusal pattern on the lower molars support the theory that similar, long‐term trends can operate in the evolution of divergent, though closely related lines. They also demonstrate that morphological resemblances between two forms are not certain proof of recent divergence.