Acta Anthropologica Sinica >

2020 , Vol. 39 >Issue 04: 555 - 563

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2020.0023

Geometric morphometry of the enamel-dentine junction interface of Lufengpithecus hudienensis lower fourth premolars

  • Lei PAN ,
  • Wei LIAO ,
  • Wei WANG ,
  • Jianhui LIU ,
  • Xueping JI ,
  • Xiaomei YANG ,
  • Yixin HAO
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  • 1. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, Beijing 100044
    2. CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044
    3. State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS, Nanjing 210008
    4. School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074
    5. Anthropology Museum of Guangxi, Nanning 530028
    6. Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237
    7. Department of Paleoanthropology, Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Kunming 650118
    8. School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500
    9. Yuanmou Man Museum, Yuanmou 650013
    10. Institute of Space Physics and Applied Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100091

Received date: 2020-02-07

  Revised date: 2020-04-29

  Online published: 2020-09-11

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Abstract

The dental endostructural morphology of the Miocene hominid, Lufengpithecus hudienensis from Yuanmou basin remains largely undocumented. Here we first use micro-CT scanning and landmark-based, 3D geometric morphometric tools to conduct a preliminary study on the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) morphology of Lufengpithecus hudienensis lower fourth premolars(n=6), with a comparative sample of fossil and extant great apes (n=26) and modern humans(n=10). Multivariate analysis of the shapes of the EDJ ridge curves suggests that L. hudienensis as membership in the hominids, it has slender occlusal outline and smaller fovea anterior than posterior, which is a relatively primitive feature (compared with Homo) widely expressed among great apes and early hominins. In the between-group PCA (bgPCA) plot, L. hudienensis is placed at an intermediate position between Gorilla (sharp dentine horns and elevated topology) and other hominid taxa with relatively flattened EDJ represented by Pan, fossil Pongo and Gigantopithecus blacki, such similarities may reflect functional adaptation rather than phylogenetic signals, but further analysis with a large sample is needed before drawing a conclusion. Interspecific overlap between L. hudienensis and comparative samples is minor. The morphological affinity between L. hudienensis and comparative samples is investigated. The possible implications for dietary inferences in light of EDJ morphology and previously documented enamel thickness data are discussed.

Key words： Miocene great-ape; Enamel dentine junction; Micro-CT imaging; Geometric morphometrics; Dental anthropology

Cite this article

Lei PAN , Wei LIAO , Wei WANG , Jianhui LIU , Xueping JI , Xiaomei YANG , Yixin HAO . Geometric morphometry of the enamel-dentine junction interface of Lufengpithecus hudienensis lower fourth premolars[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2020 , 39(04) : 555 -563 . DOI: 10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2020.0023

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