Variations of the mandibular shape in extant hominoids

Generic, specific, and subspecific quantification using elliptical fourier analysis in lateral view

Bibliographic Data

ID8315201
AuthorsMatthieu Schmittbuhl (Association pour la Recherche en Physiologie de l’Environnement, corresponding author), Jean Rieger, Jean‐Marie Le Minor (0000-0002-6662-5383), André Schaaf (Institut des Sciences de la Terre), Franck Guy (0000-0001-7032-7963, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
Year2007
Volume132
Issue1
Pages119-131
Publication date2007-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.20476
PMID17063462
OpenAlexW1984664790
LanguageEN
Citations received22
References cited55

While a number of studies have documented the mandibular variations in hominoids, few focused on evaluating the variation of the whole outline of this structure. Using an efficient morphometrical approach, i.e. elliptical Fourier analysis, mandibular outlines in lateral view from 578 adult hominoids representing the genera Hylobates , Pongo , Gorilla , Pan , and Homo were quantified and compared. This study confirms that elliptical Fourier analysis provides an accurate characterization of the shape of the mandibular profile. Differences in mandibular shape between hominoid genera, species, subspecies, and to a lesser extent between sexes were demonstrated. Mandibles in great apes and hylobatids subspecies were generally less distinct from each other than were species. However, the magnitudes of differences among subspecies of Gorilla and Pongo approached or exceeded those between Pan troglodytes and P. paniscus . The powerful discrimination between taxa from the genus down to subspecific level associated to the relatively low level of intrageneric mandibular polymorphism in great apes provides strong evidences in support of the taxonomic utility of the shape of the mandibular profile in hominoids. In addition, morphological affinities between Pongo and Pan and the clear distinction between Homo and Pan suggest that the mandibular outline is a poor estimate of phylogenetic relationships in great apes and humans. The sexual dimorphism in mandibular shape exhibits two patterns of expression: a high degree of dimorphism in Gorilla , Pongo , and H. s. syndactylus and a relatively low one in modern humans and Pan . Besides, degree of mandibular shape dimorphism can vary considerably among closely related subspecies as observed in gorillas, arguing against the use of mandibular shape dimorphism patterns as characters in phylogenetic analyses. However, the quantification of the mandibular shape and of the variations among hominoids provides an interesting comparative framework that is likely to supply further arguments for a better understanding of the patterns of differentiation between living hominoids. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc

Biology · Evolutionary biology · Extant taxon · Gorilla · Hylobates · Pan paniscus · Phylogenetic tree · Pongo pygmaeus · Sexual dimorphism · Subspecies · Taxon · Troglodytes · Zoology · Ecology · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Genetics · Morphological variations and asymmetry · Paleontology · Primate Behavior and Ecology

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