I Towle
Biographic Data
| ID | 37946 |
|---|---|
| NAME | I Towle |
| GIVEN NAMES | I |
| FAMILY NAME | Towle |
| SIGNATURE | TOWLE I |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Otago |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0939-7222 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 8 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 16 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 8 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2019 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Uniform, circular, and shallow enamel pitting in hominins: Prevalence, morphological associations, and potential taxonomic significance
This study explores a particular form of enamel pitting originally identified in Paranthropus robustus. We call this uniform, circular, and shallow (UCS) pitting to distinguish it from more irregular and nonuniform defects often associated with enamel hypoplasia. We pose the hypothesis that UCS pitting is unique to the genus Paranthropus. We test this by investigating hominin dental remains from the ca. 3.4 Ma to ca. 1.1 Ma fossiliferous sequence…
Variation in enamel mechanical properties throughout the crown in catarrhine primates
Enamel mechanical properties vary across molar crowns, but the relationship among mechanical properties, tooth function, and phylogeny are not well understood. Fifteen primate lower molars representing fourteen taxa (catarrhine, n = 13; platyrrhine, n = 1) were sectioned in the lingual-buccal plane through the mesial cusps. Gradients of enamel mechanical properties, specifically hardness and elastic modulus, were quantified using nanoindentation …
Dental caries in wild primates: Interproximal cavities on anterior teeth
Dental caries has been reported in a variety of primates, although it is still considered rare in wild populations. In this study, 11 catarrhine primate taxa ( n = 339 individuals; 7946 teeth) were studied for the presence of caries. A differential diagnosis of lesions in interproximal regions of anterior teeth was undertaken, since they had been previously described as both carious and non‐carious in origin. Each permanent tooth was examined mac…
Tooth chipping prevalence and patterns in extant primates
OBJECTIVES: A tooth chip occurs when a hard object forcefully contacts the surface of the tooth, typically removing enamel from the occlusal edge. In this study, chipping patterns in extant primates were compared, and hard-object-feeding assessed alongside other factors (e.g., grit mastication and dental properties), to elucidate dietary and behavioral inferences in archeological and paleontological samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen specie…
Paranthropus robustus tooth chipping patterns do not support regular hard food mastication
Periapical lesions in hominids: Abscesses on the maxilla of a 2 million‐year‐old early Homo specimen
Periapical lesions can develop after exposure of a tooth's pulp chamber and are commonly associated with heavy crown wear, trauma, or caries. In this study, maxilla and mandible fragments from the South African fossil hominin collections were studied, including specimens assigned to Homo naledi , Paranthropus robustus , Australopithecus africanus , and early Homo . Gorilla gorilla gorilla , Pan troglodytes , and Homo sapiens were also studied for…
Root caries on a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen
OBJECTIVES: Dental caries is often perceived as a modern human disease. However, their presence is documented in many early human groups, various nonhuman primates and, increasingly, our hominin ancestors and relatives. In this study, we describe an antemortem lesion on the root of a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen, South Africa, which likely represents another example of caries in fossil hominins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The molar…
Tertiary Dentine Frequencies in Extant Great Apes and Fossil Hominins
Tertiary dentine forms when an odontoblast is directly affected by stimuli, commonly through occlusal wear and caries. In this study the presence of tertiary dentine was recorded in three South African fossil hominin species (Australopithecus africanus, Homo naledi and Paranthropus robustus), and two extant great ape species (Gorilla gorilla gorilla and Pan troglodytes). Frequencies of tertiary dentine were calculated for each species based on ma…
Tertiary Dentine Frequencies in Extant Great Apes and Fossil Hominins
Tertiary dentine forms when an odontoblast is directly affected by stimuli, commonly through occlusal wear and caries. In this study the presence of tertiary dentine was recorded in three South African fossil hominin species (Australopithecus africanus, Homo naledi and Paranthropus robustus), and two extant great ape species (Gorilla gorilla gorilla and Pan troglodytes). Frequencies of tertiary dentine were calculated for each species based on ma…
Tooth chipping prevalence and patterns in extant primates
OBJECTIVES: A tooth chip occurs when a hard object forcefully contacts the surface of the tooth, typically removing enamel from the occlusal edge. In this study, chipping patterns in extant primates were compared, and hard-object-feeding assessed alongside other factors (e.g., grit mastication and dental properties), to elucidate dietary and behavioral inferences in archeological and paleontological samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen specie…
Paranthropus robustus tooth chipping patterns do not support regular hard food mastication
Root caries on a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen
OBJECTIVES: Dental caries is often perceived as a modern human disease. However, their presence is documented in many early human groups, various nonhuman primates and, increasingly, our hominin ancestors and relatives. In this study, we describe an antemortem lesion on the root of a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen, South Africa, which likely represents another example of caries in fossil hominins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The molar…
Variation in enamel mechanical properties throughout the crown in catarrhine primates
Enamel mechanical properties vary across molar crowns, but the relationship among mechanical properties, tooth function, and phylogeny are not well understood. Fifteen primate lower molars representing fourteen taxa (catarrhine, n = 13; platyrrhine, n = 1) were sectioned in the lingual-buccal plane through the mesial cusps. Gradients of enamel mechanical properties, specifically hardness and elastic modulus, were quantified using nanoindentation …
Periapical lesions in hominids: Abscesses on the maxilla of a 2 million‐year‐old early Homo specimen
Periapical lesions can develop after exposure of a tooth's pulp chamber and are commonly associated with heavy crown wear, trauma, or caries. In this study, maxilla and mandible fragments from the South African fossil hominin collections were studied, including specimens assigned to Homo naledi , Paranthropus robustus , Australopithecus africanus , and early Homo . Gorilla gorilla gorilla , Pan troglodytes , and Homo sapiens were also studied for…
Root caries on a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen
OBJECTIVES: Dental caries is often perceived as a modern human disease. However, their presence is documented in many early human groups, various nonhuman primates and, increasingly, our hominin ancestors and relatives. In this study, we describe an antemortem lesion on the root of a Paranthropus robustus third molar from Drimolen, South Africa, which likely represents another example of caries in fossil hominins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The molar…
Tertiary Dentine Frequencies in Extant Great Apes and Fossil Hominins
Tertiary dentine forms when an odontoblast is directly affected by stimuli, commonly through occlusal wear and caries. In this study the presence of tertiary dentine was recorded in three South African fossil hominin species (Australopithecus africanus, Homo naledi and Paranthropus robustus), and two extant great ape species (Gorilla gorilla gorilla and Pan troglodytes). Frequencies of tertiary dentine were calculated for each species based on ma…
Tooth chipping prevalence and patterns in extant primates
OBJECTIVES: A tooth chip occurs when a hard object forcefully contacts the surface of the tooth, typically removing enamel from the occlusal edge. In this study, chipping patterns in extant primates were compared, and hard-object-feeding assessed alongside other factors (e.g., grit mastication and dental properties), to elucidate dietary and behavioral inferences in archeological and paleontological samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen specie…
Paranthropus robustus tooth chipping patterns do not support regular hard food mastication
Dental caries in wild primates: Interproximal cavities on anterior teeth
Dental caries has been reported in a variety of primates, although it is still considered rare in wild populations. In this study, 11 catarrhine primate taxa ( n = 339 individuals; 7946 teeth) were studied for the presence of caries. A differential diagnosis of lesions in interproximal regions of anterior teeth was undertaken, since they had been previously described as both carious and non‐carious in origin. Each permanent tooth was examined mac…
Variation in enamel mechanical properties throughout the crown in catarrhine primates
Enamel mechanical properties vary across molar crowns, but the relationship among mechanical properties, tooth function, and phylogeny are not well understood. Fifteen primate lower molars representing fourteen taxa (catarrhine, n = 13; platyrrhine, n = 1) were sectioned in the lingual-buccal plane through the mesial cusps. Gradients of enamel mechanical properties, specifically hardness and elastic modulus, were quantified using nanoindentation …
Uniform, circular, and shallow enamel pitting in hominins: Prevalence, morphological associations, and potential taxonomic significance
This study explores a particular form of enamel pitting originally identified in Paranthropus robustus. We call this uniform, circular, and shallow (UCS) pitting to distinguish it from more irregular and nonuniform defects often associated with enamel hypoplasia. We pose the hypothesis that UCS pitting is unique to the genus Paranthropus. We test this by investigating hominin dental remains from the ca. 3.4 Ma to ca. 1.1 Ma fossiliferous sequence…
Dentistry (6 works) · Medicine (6 works) · Biology (5 works) · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (5 works) · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology (5 works) · Primate Behavior and Ecology (5 works) · Orthodontics (4 works) · Paleontology (4 works) · dental development and anomalies (3 works) · Enamel paint (3 works)