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Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pampush, JD; Spradley, JP; Morse, PE; Griffith, D; Gladman, JT; Gonzales, LA; Kay, RF
Published in: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
August 1, 2018

Primates are generally characterized by low-crowned, brachydont molars relative to many other groups of mammals. This conservative architecture may create special challenges for maintaining dental functionality in the case of a diet requiring proficient shearing ability (e.g. folivory). One recent hypothesis, the 'dental sculpting hypothesis', suggests that some folivorous primates have dentitions that functionally harness macrowear in maintaining occlusal sharpness. We examined the relationships between four dental topography metrics [Dirichlet normal energy (DNE), orientation patch count rotated (OPCR), relief index (RFI) and occlusal relief (OR)] against macrowear [as measured by the dentine exposure ratio (DER)] in lower first molars of Ateles and Alouatta, which are two closely related platyrrhines with different diets (Alouatta is a folivore and Ateles a frugivore). We find support for the dental sculpting hypothesis, in that DNE increases with macrowear in the folivorous Alouatta but not in the frugivorous Ateles. Multiple contradictions between OPCR and the other variables suggest that this metric is a poor reflection of the molar form-function relationship in these primates. Distributions of relief measures (RFI and OR) confound expectations and prior observations, in that Ateles shows higher values than Alouatta, because these measures are thought to be correlated with dental shearing ability. We discuss the role that the relatively thicker enamel caps of Ateles might play in the distributions of these metrics.

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Published In

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

DOI

EISSN

1095-8312

ISSN

0024-4066

Publication Date

August 1, 2018

Volume

124

Issue

4

Start / End Page

584 / 606

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Pampush, J. D., Spradley, J. P., Morse, P. E., Griffith, D., Gladman, J. T., Gonzales, L. A., & Kay, R. F. (2018). Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 124(4), 584–606. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/bly069
Pampush, J. D., J. P. Spradley, P. E. Morse, D. Griffith, J. T. Gladman, L. A. Gonzales, and R. F. Kay. “Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets.” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 124, no. 4 (August 1, 2018): 584–606. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/bly069.
Pampush JD, Spradley JP, Morse PE, Griffith D, Gladman JT, Gonzales LA, et al. Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2018 Aug 1;124(4):584–606.
Pampush, J. D., et al. “Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets.” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 124, no. 4, Aug. 2018, pp. 584–606. Scopus, doi:10.1093/biolinnean/bly069.
Pampush JD, Spradley JP, Morse PE, Griffith D, Gladman JT, Gonzales LA, Kay RF. Adaptive wear-based changes in dental topography associated with atelid (Mammalia: Primates) diets. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2018 Aug 1;124(4):584–606.
Journal cover image

Published In

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

DOI

EISSN

1095-8312

ISSN

0024-4066

Publication Date

August 1, 2018

Volume

124

Issue

4

Start / End Page

584 / 606

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 06 Biological Sciences