Patterns of Variation in Deciduous Second and Permanent first Molars Among Chimpanzee Taxa

Authors

Livia A. Taylor, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Emily Hammerl

Date of this Version

8-2017

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment Of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts, Major: Anthropology, Under the Supervision of Professor Emily Hammerl. Lincoln, Nebraska: August, 2017

Copyright © 2017 Livia A. Taylor

Abstract

This project aims to expand our understanding of the utility of molar outline morphology in discriminating between primate taxa as well as to determine whether there is a significant advantage to using deciduous second molars (dm2) over permanent first molars (M1). Recent research in paleontology and paleoanthropology have demonstrated the usefulness of Elliptical Fourier Analysis of molar crown outlines in distinguishing between closely related animal taxa, including hominins, mice, and pigs. I apply this methodology to three Pan taxa: Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes troglodytes, and Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii to determine how well biological distance information gleaned from molar outline analysis aligns with existing molecular and morphometric data on Pan taxonomy.

Advisor: Emily Hammerl