A Novel Method for Assessing Enamel Thickness Distribution in the Anterior Dentition as a Signal for Gouging and Other Extractive Foraging Behaviors in Gummivorous Mammals

IF 1.2 4区生物学 Q2 ZOOLOGY

Folia Primatologica Pub Date : 2019-10-16 DOI:10.1159/000502819

Keegan R. Selig, S. López‐Torres, A. Hartstone-Rose, L. Nash, A. Burrows, M. Silcox

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引用次数: 37

Abstract

Gummivory poses unique challenges to the dentition as gum acquisition may often require that the anterior teeth be adapted to retain a sharp edge and to resist loading because they sometimes must penetrate a highly obdurate substrate during gum extraction by means of gouging or scraping. It has been observed previously that the enamel on the labial surface of the teeth used for extraction is thicker relative to that on the lingual surface in taxa that extract gums, while enamel is more evenly distributed in the anterior teeth of taxa that do not regularly engage in extractive behaviors. This study presents a quantitative methodology for measuring the distribution of labial versus lingual enamel thickness among primate and marsupial taxa in the context of gummivory. Computed microtomography scans of 15 specimens representing 14 taxa were analyzed. Ten measurements were taken at 20% intervals starting from the base of the crown of the extractive tooth to the tip of the cutting edge across the lingual and labial enamel. A method for including worn or broken teeth is also presented. Mann-Whitney U tests, canonical variates analysis, and between-group principal components analysis were used to examine variation in enamel thickness across taxa. Our results suggest that the differential distribution of enamel thickness in the anterior dentition can serve as a signal for gouging behavior; this methodology distinguishes between gougers, scrapers, and nonextractive gummivores. Gouging taxa are characterized by significantly thicker labial enamel relative to the lingual enamel, particularly towards the crown tip. Examination of enamel thickness patterning in these taxa permits a better understanding of the adaptations for the extraction of gums in extant taxa and offers the potential to test hypotheses concerning the dietary adaptations of fossil taxa.

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一种评估前牙列牙釉质厚度分布的新方法，作为食胶哺乳动物刨食和其他提取觅食行为的信号

牙龈的形成对牙列提出了独特的挑战，因为牙龈的形成通常需要前牙适应保持锋利的边缘和抵抗载荷，因为在牙龈提取过程中，前牙有时必须通过刨或刮的方式穿透高度坚硬的基质。以前观察到，在拔牙类群中，用于拔牙的牙齿唇面牙釉质相对于舌面牙釉质较厚，而在不经常进行拔牙行为的类群中，牙釉质在前牙上的分布更为均匀。本研究提出了一种定量方法，用于测量灵长类动物和有袋动物类群在牙质背景下唇牙釉质与舌牙釉质厚度的分布。对代表14个分类群的15个标本进行了计算机显微断层扫描分析。从拔牙的牙冠根部开始，到舌牙和唇牙釉质切割边缘的尖端，以20%的间隔进行10次测量。还提出了一种包括磨损或断裂牙齿的方法。采用Mann-Whitney U检验、典型变量分析和组间主成分分析来检验不同类群间牙釉质厚度的差异。我们的研究结果表明，前牙列牙釉质厚度的不同分布可以作为凿牙行为的信号;这种方法区分了剥削者、刮削者和非剥削者。剔牙分类群的特征是唇牙釉质明显比舌牙釉质厚，尤其是牙冠尖端。研究这些分类群的牙釉质厚度模式有助于更好地理解现存分类群对牙龈提取的适应性，并为检验化石分类群的饮食适应性假设提供了可能。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Folia Primatologica 生物-动物学

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

10.50%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Recognizing that research in human biology must be founded on a comparative knowledge of our closest relatives, this journal is the natural scientist''s ideal means of access to the best of current primate research. ''Folia Primatologica'' covers fields as diverse as molecular biology and social behaviour, and features articles on ecology, conservation, palaeontology, systematics and functional anatomy. In-depth articles and invited reviews are contributed by the world’s leading primatologists. In addition, special issues provide rapid peer-reviewed publication of conference proceedings. ''Folia Primatologica'' is one of the top-rated primatology publications and is acknowledged worldwide as a high-impact core journal for primatologists, zoologists and anthropologists.