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De Vries et al. 2024 Prosimian premolars (p4s) Project ID: 000552618 Public
236 Media · 118 Specimens · Creator: Dorien de Vries · Managed by: Dorien de Vries

This study tests whether 1) premolar topography of extant “prosimians” (strepsirrhines and tarsiers) successfully predicts diet, and 2) whether the combination of molar and premolar topography yields higher classification accuracy than using either tooth position in isolation. Dental topographic metrics (ariaDNE, RFI, OPCR) were calculated for 118 individual matched-pairs of mandibular fourth premolars (P4) and second molars (M2). The sample represents 7 families and 22 genera. Tooth variables were analyzed in isolation (P4 only; M2 only), together (P4 and M2), and combined (PC1 scores of bivariate principal component analyses of P4 and M2 for each metric). Discriminant function analyses were conducted with and without a measure of size (two-dimensional surface area). When using topography only, “prosimian” P4 shape predicts diet with a success rate that is slightly higher than that of M2 shape. When absolute size is included, premolars and molars perform comparably well. Including both premolar and molar topography (separately or combined) improves classification accuracy for every analysis beyond considering either in isolation. Classification accuracy is highest when premolar and molar topography and size are included. Our findings indicate that molar teeth incompletely summarize the functional requirements of oral food breakdown for a given diet, and that the mechanism selecting for premolar form is more varied than what is expressed by molar teeth. Finally, our findings suggest that fossil P4s (in isolation or with the M2) can be used for meaningful dietary reconstruction of extinct primates. Article DOI: 10.1002/AJPA.24995

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  • Department of Vertebrate Zoology National Museum of Natural History[remove]10
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  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000553404 lower p4 (cast) usnm:mammals:063356 Hapalemur griseus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553401 lower second molar (cast) usnm:mammals:063356 Hapalemur griseus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553397 lower p4 (cast) usnm:mammals:063355 Hapalemur griseus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553394 lower second molar (cast) usnm:mammals:063355 Hapalemur griseus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553342 lower p4 (cast) usnm:mammals:063338 Eulemur fulvus rufus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553338 lower second molar (cast) usnm:mammals:063338 Eulemur fulvus rufus Mesh 2023-08-26 Open Download  
000553156 lower p4 (cast) USNM:MAMM:USNM 83652 Avahi laniger Mesh 2023-08-25 Open Download  
000553153 lower second molar (cast) USNM:MAMM:USNM 83652 Avahi laniger Mesh 2023-08-25 Open Download  
000553140 lower p4 (cast) USNM:MAMM:USNM 83650 Avahi laniger Mesh 2023-08-25 Open Download  
000553137 lower second molar (cast) USNM:MAMM:USNM 83650 Avahi laniger Mesh 2023-08-25 Open Download  
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