A biomechanical perspective on molar emergence and primate life history

Glowacka, Halszka; Schwartz, Gary T.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abj0335

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…We can also consider variation in the M3 in terms of functional occlusal relationships and biomechanics of the jaw (Glowacka and Schwartz 2021), and how this might constrain the mutational matrix (quantified as the amount of phenotypic variance created by mutation per generation; Houle et al 2017). For instance, if selection on the M3 is relaxed because it is less functionally constrained than the M1 and M2, it would be predicted to have a higher mutation rate and therefore be more evolvable (Bolstad et al 2014;Jones et al 2014) or permit higher levels of environmental variation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A common mechanism drives the alignment between the micro‐ and macroevolution of primate molars

et al. 2022

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A central challenge for biology is to reveal how different levels of biological variation interact and shape diversity. However, recent experimental studies have indicated that prevailing models of evolution cannot readily explain the link between micro‐ and macroevolution at deep timescales. Here, we suggest that this paradox could be the result of a common mechanism driving a correlated pattern of evolution. We examine the proportionality between genetic variance and patterns of trait evolution in a system whose developmental processes are well understood to gain insight into how such alignment between morphological divergence and genetic variation might be maintained over macroevolutionary time. Primate molars present a model system by which to link developmental processes to evolutionary dynamics because of the biased pattern of variation that results from the developmental architecture regulating their formation. We consider how this biased variation is expressed at the population level, and how it manifests through evolution across primates. There is a strong correspondence between the macroevolutionary rates of primate molar divergence and their genetic variation. This suggests a model of evolution in which selection is closely aligned with the direction of genetic variance, phenotypic variance, and the underlying developmental architecture of anatomical traits.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A common mechanism drives the alignment between the micro‐ and macroevolution of primate molars

et al. 2022

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“…S6C), the anterior fibers of the temporalis muscle had not yet developed fully in KW 9600. Our analysis and interpretation suggest that the masticatory system in P. robustus had not attained its adult form by the time of M1 emergence ( 26 ). This mixed pattern is also observed in Australopithecus specimens from southern African sites.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

Hominin fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen inform Paranthropus robustus craniofacial ontogeny

et al. 2023

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Ontogeny provides critical information about the evolutionary history of early hominin adult morphology. We describe fossils from the southern African sites of Kromdraai and Drimolen that provide insights into early craniofacial development in the Pleistocene robust australopith Paranthropus robustus . We show that while most distinctive robust craniofacial features appear relatively late in ontogeny, a few do not. We also find unexpected evidence of independence in the growth of the premaxillary and maxillary regions. Differential growth results in a proportionately larger and more postero-inferiorly rotated cerebral fossa in P. robustus infants than in the developmentally older Australopithecus africanus juvenile from Taung. The accumulated evidence from these fossils suggests that the iconic SK 54 juvenile calvaria is more likely early Homo than Paranthropus. It is also consistent with the hypothesis that P. robustus is more closely related to Homo than to A. africanus .

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“…However, some mammalian groups have been shown to deviate from the predictions of the ICM to different degrees, suggesting that the ontogenetic process itself could be malleable (65)(66)(67)(68)(69). Indeed, it has been argued that molar tooth eruption timing in Primates is shaped by biomechanical demands at different ontogenetic stages (70), revealing a possible mechanism through which external selection could shape development, and indirectly, the morphology of the molar row. For areas and linear distances, the best model overall is a multi-regime BM, while for ICM ratios the best mixed model is a multi-regime OU (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…7/27 q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q 1e−03 However, some mammalian groups have been shown to deviate from the predictions of the ICM to different degrees, suggesting that the ontogenetic process itself could be malleable 64,65,[67][68][69] . Indeed, it has been argued that molar tooth eruption timing in Primates is shaped by biomechanical demands at different ontogenetic stages 70 , revealing a possible mechanism through which external selection could shape development, and indirectly, the morphology of the molar row.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using developmental rules to align microevolution with macroevolution

Machado

Mongle

Slater³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Studies of macroevolution have classically rejected the notion that large-scale divergence patterns can be explained through populational, microevolutionary models. For morphology, this consensus partly derives from the inability of quantitative genetics models to correctly predict the behavior of evolutionary processes at the scale of millions of years. Developmental studies (evo-devo) have been proposed to reconcile micro and macroevolution. However, there has been little progress in establishing a formal framework to apply evo-devo models of phenotypic diversification. Here, we reframe this issue by asking if using evo-devo models to quantify biological variation can improve the explanatory power of comparative models, thus helping us bridge the gap between micro- and macroevolution. We test this prediction by evaluating the evolution of primate lower molars in a comprehensive dataset densely sampled across living and extinct taxa. Our results suggest that biologically-informed morphospaces alongside quantitative genetics models allow a seamless transition between the micro and macro scales, while biologically uninformed spaces do not. We show that the adaptive landscape for primate teeth is corridor-like, with changes in morphology within the corridor being nearly neutral. Overall, our framework provides a basis for integrating evo-devo into the modern synthesis, allowing an operational way to evaluate the ultimate causes of macroevolution.

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A biomechanical perspective on molar emergence and primate life history

Abstract: Coordinated growth of the chewing apparatus modulates molar emergence schedules and explains their relationship with life history.

Cited by 8 publications

References 78 publications

A common mechanism drives the alignment between the micro‐ and macroevolution of primate molars

A common mechanism drives the alignment between the micro‐ and macroevolution of primate molars

Hominin fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen inform Paranthropus robustus craniofacial ontogeny

Using developmental rules to align microevolution with macroevolution

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