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Cano-Fernández H, Gómez-Robles A. Assessing complexity in hominid dental evolution: Fractal analysis of great ape and human molars. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:352-362. [PMID: 33242355 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Molar crenulation is defined as the accessory pattern of grooves that appears on the occlusal surface of many mammalian molars. Although frequently used in the characterization of species, this trait is often assessed qualitatively, which poses unavoidable subjective biases. The objective of this study is to quantitatively test the variability in the expression of molar crenulation in primates and its association with molar size and diet. METHODS The variability in the expression of molar crenulation in hominids (human, chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan) was assessed with fractal analysis using photographs of first, second and third upper and lower molars. After this, representative values for 29 primate species were used to evaluate the correlation between molar complexity, molar size, and diet using a phylogenetic generalized least squares regression. RESULTS Results show that there are statistically significant differences in fractal dimensions across hominid species in all molars, with orangutan molars presenting higher values of occlusal complexity. Our results indicate that there is no significant association between molar complexity and molar size or diet. DISCUSSION Our results show higher levels of occlusal complexity in orangutans, thus supporting previously published observations. Our analyses, however, do not indicate a clear association between molar complexity and molar size or diet, pointing to other factors as the major drivers of complexity. To our knowledge, our study is the first one to use fractal analysis to measure occlusal complexity in primates. Our results show that this approach is a rapid and cost-effective way to measure molar complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Cano-Fernández
- Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum of London, London, UK
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Bertoglio B, Corradin S, Cappella A, Mazzarelli D, Biehler-Gomez L, Messina C, Pozzi G, Sconfienza LM, Sardanelli F, Sforza C, De Angelis D, Cattaneo C. Pitfalls of Computed Tomography 3D Reconstruction Models in Cranial Nonmetric Analysis. J Forensic Sci 2020; 65:2098-2107. [PMID: 32809248 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Many studies in the literature have highlighted the utility of virtual 3D databanks as a substitute for real skeletal collections and the important application of radiological records in personal identification. However, none have investigated the accuracy of virtual material compared to skeletal remains in nonmetric variant analysis using 3D models. The present study investigates the accuracy of 20 computed tomography (CT) 3D reconstruction models compared to the real crania, focusing on the quality of the reproduction of the real crania and the possibility to detect 29 dental/cranial morphological variations in 3D images. An interobserver analysis was performed to evaluate trait identification, number, position, and shape. Results demonstrate a false bone loss in 3D models in some cranial regions, specifically the maxillary and occipital bones in 85% and 20% of the samples. Additional analyses revealed several difficulties in the detection of cranial nonmetric traits in 3D models, resulting in incorrect identification in circa 70% of the traits. In particular, pitfalls included the detection of erroneous position, error in presence/absence rates, in number, and in shape. The lowest percentages of correct evaluations were found in traits localized in the lateral side of the cranium and for the infraorbital suture, mastoid foramen, and crenulation. The present study highlights important pitfalls in CT scan when compared with the real crania for nonmetric analysis. This may have crucial consequences in cases where 3D databanks are used as a source of reference population data for nonmetric traits and pathologies and during bone-CT comparisons for identification purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bertoglio
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Sofia Corradin
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Annalisa Cappella
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy.,Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico (LAFAS), Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 31, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy.,Fondazione Isacchi Samaja ONLUS, Via Nino Bixio 30, Milan, 20129, Italy
| | - Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Carmelo Messina
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, Milan, 20161, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 31, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Grazia Pozzi
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, Milan, 20161, Italy
| | - Luca Maria Sconfienza
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, Milan, 20161, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 31, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 31, Milan, 20133, Italy.,IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Piazza Edmondo Malan 2, Milan, 20097, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico (LAFAS), Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 31, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Danilo De Angelis
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
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Observer error and its impact on ancestry estimation using dental morphology. Int J Legal Med 2018; 133:949-962. [PMID: 30564914 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1985-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Dental morphology is becoming increasingly visible in forensic anthropology as part of the estimation of ancestry. As methods are developed based on these data, it is important to understand the role of observer error in data collection and method application. In this study, 10 observers collected dental morphological data on 19 traits on the same set of nine plaques. Various measures of interrater reliability were calculated to assess observer error. Data were then input into one of three ancestry estimation methods based on dental morphology to understand the role of observer error in these methods. Results show low rater reliability for all dental morphological traits when all 10 observers are compared. Rater reliability increases when only experienced observers are compared and traits are dichotomized. Further, differences in trait scores by observers resulted in disparate estimations of ancestry in each of the methods. While observer error appears to be an issue in dental morphological methods of ancestry estimation, these problems can be addressed. An argument is made for advanced training in dental anthropology in laboratories and in graduate programs. Further, methods need to test for and employ traits with high rater agreement.
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Smith TM, Houssaye A, Kullmer O, Le Cabec A, Olejniczak AJ, Schrenk F, de Vos J, Tafforeau P. Disentangling isolated dental remains of Asian Pleistocene hominins and pongines. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204737. [PMID: 30383758 PMCID: PMC6211657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Scholars have debated the taxonomic identity of isolated primate teeth from the Asian Pleistocene for over a century, which is complicated by morphological and metric convergence between orangutan (Pongo) and hominin (Homo) molariform teeth. Like Homo erectus, Pongo once showed considerable dental variation and a wide distribution throughout mainland and insular Asia. In order to clarify the utility of isolated dental remains to document the presence of hominins during Asian prehistory, we examined enamel thickness, enamel-dentine junction shape, and crown development in 33 molars from G. H. R. von Koenigswald's Chinese Apothecary collection (11 Sinanthropus officinalis [= Homo erectus], 21 "Hemanthropus peii," and 1 "Hemanthropus peii" or Pongo) and 7 molars from Sangiran dome (either Homo erectus or Pongo). All fossil teeth were imaged with non-destructive conventional and/or synchrotron micro-computed tomography. These were compared to H. erectus teeth from Zhoukoudian, Sangiran and Trinil, and a large comparative sample of fossil Pongo, recent Pongo, and recent human teeth. We find that Homo and Pongo molars overlap substantially in relative enamel thickness; molar enamel-dentine junction shape is more distinctive, with Pongo showing relatively shorter dentine horns and wider crowns than Homo. Long-period line periodicity values are significantly greater in Pongo than in H. erectus, leading to longer crown formation times in the former. Most of the sample originally assigned to S. officinalis and H. erectus shows greater affinity to Pongo than to the hominin comparative sample. Moreover, enamel thickness, enamel-dentine junction shape, and a long-period line periodicity value in the "Hemanthropus peii" sample are indistinguishable from fossil Pongo. These results underscore the need for additional recovery and study of associated dentitions prior to erecting new taxa from isolated teeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M. Smith
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- ESRF—The European Synchrotron, Grenoble, France
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
- Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- ESRF—The European Synchrotron, Grenoble, France
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Friedemann Schrenk
- Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
- Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
| | - John de Vos
- Department of Geology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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