Premium
Dental formulae and dental eruption patterns in parapithecidae (primates, Anthropoidea)
Author(s) -
Kay Richard F.,
Simons Elwyn L.
Publication year - 1983
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.1330620403
Subject(s) - tooth abnormality , tooth eruption , orthodontics , dentistry , medicine , molar
The eruption sequence for the lower teeth of Apidium phiomense based on 18 juvenile specimens in dP 3 , dP 4 , M 1 , M 2 , P 2 , P 4 (P 3 , M 3 ), C. Only five specimens of Parapithecus grangeri show developing lower teeth. P 2 , M 1 , and M 2 all erupted before P 3 and P 4 ; C and M 3 were the last cheek teeth to erupt. Late eruption of the lower canines in parapithecids is a possible shared derived resemblance linking these species with Anthropoidea and Adapidae and distinguishing both from Omomyidae, Tarsiidae, and tooth‐combed lemurs. Late eruption of M 3 in parapithecids is a shared derived resemblance with Anthropoidea alone. The lower dental formula of Apidium phiomense is confirmed as 2·1·3·3 by additional specimens which show the incisors. Based in part on tooth socket counts, the deciduous lower dental formula was 2·1·3. New specimens of Parapithecus grangeri now demonstrate an adult mandibular dental formula of 0·1·3·3 (not 2·1·3·3 as previously thought) and a juvenile formula of 1·1·3. The number of incisors possessed by Parapithecus fraasi is again open to debate. Material is insufficient to judge whether this species had a pair of incisors in each lower jaw quadrant, by analogy with Apidium , or had undergone reduction to just one incisor. In any event, the presence of two incisors in another parapithecid Apidium shows anterior tooth reduction of Parapithecus grangeri occurred independent of, and should not be considered a shared derived similarity with, Tarsiidae, as was once thought.