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Morphologic growth of the hominoid choanae: Implications for understanding functional integration of the basicranium and respiratory tract.
Author(s) -
Pagano Anthony S,
Yuan Derek Y,
Laitman Jeffrey T
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.648.1
Subject(s) - biology , anatomy , pan paniscus , gorilla , homo sapiens , hominidae , zoology , paleontology , biological evolution , genetics , sociology , anthropology
The internal nares (choanae) lie at the nexus of key respiratory tract functions, yet their comparative and functional morphology in hominoids has been poorly studied. We examined the growth of the choanae and adjacent facial and basicranial regions in crania of extant hominoids ( Homo sapiens , n= 130; Pan troglodytes , n = 32; Gorilla gorilla n= 22; Pongo pygmaeus , n= 17; Symphalangus syndactylus, n= 19; Hylobates hoolock , n= 39) from eruption of the first through third permanent maxillary molars. Shape variation was quantified using 3D landmarks and analyzed with generalized procrustes analysis (GPA). Results show that ontogenetically the relative size and proportions of the choanae remained stable in all observed species. Humans are characterized by shorter, broader choanae than pongids, but not hylobatids, whose choanae are nearly twice as wide as they are tall. Among all hominoids, choanal area is negatively (and significantly; p<.01) correlated with the area of the piriform aperture, flexion at the spheno‐occipital synchondrosis, and facial kyphosis. These results imply a functional relationship between the dimensions of the osseous nasopharynx and overall basicranial flexion. Grant Funding Source n/a