Ontogenetic scaling of the human nose in a longitudinal sample: Implications for genus Homo facial evolution

Abstract

Researchers have hypothesized that nasal morphology, both in archaic Homo and in recent humans, is influenced by body mass and associated oxygen consumption demands required for tissue maintenance. Similarly, recent studies of the adult human nasal region have documented key differences in nasal form between males and females that are potentially linked to sexual dimorphism in body size, composition, and energetics. To better understand this potential developmental and functional dynamic, we first assessed sexual dimorphism in the nasal cavity in recent humans to determine when during ontogeny male-female differences in nasal cavity size appear. Next, we assessed whether there are significant differences in nasal/body size scaling relationships in males and females during ontogeny. Using a mixed longitudinal sample we collected cephalometric and anthropometric measurements from n = 20 males and n = 18 females from 3.0 to 20.0+ years of age totaling n = 290 observations. We found that males and females exhibit similar nasal size values early in ontogeny and that sexual dimorphism in nasal size appears during adolescence. Moreover, when scaled to body size, males exhibit greater positive allometry in nasal size compared to females. This differs from patterns of sexual dimorphism in overall facial size, which are already present in our earliest age groups. Sexually dimorphic differences in nasal development and scaling mirror patterns of ontogenetic variation in variables associated with oxygen consumption and tissue maintenance. This underscores the importance of considering broader systemic factors in craniofacial development and may have important implications for the study of patters craniofacial evolution in the genus Homo.

Ecogeographic variation across morphofunctional units of the human nose

“…Several recent studies (Bastir et al, 2011;Bastir & Rosas, 2016;Holton et al, 2014Holton et al, , 2016aHolton et al, , 2016bRosas & Bastir, 2002) have demonstrated a strong relationship between volumetric oxygen intake requirements and height dimensions of the nasal complex. Several recent studies (Bastir et al, 2011;Bastir & Rosas, 2016;Holton et al, 2014Holton et al, , 2016aHolton et al, , 2016bRosas & Bastir, 2002) have demonstrated a strong relationship between volumetric oxygen intake requirements and height dimensions of the nasal complex.…”

Ontogenetic and static allometry in the human face: Contrasting Khoisan and Inuit

“…According to our developmental simulations the Inuit show a more pronounced development in the nasal aperture compared to the Khoisan, possibly related to their colder habitat conditions. Anterior facial growth has been linked to the development of the nasal cavity and the respiratory system (Enlow, 1990;Bastir, 2008;Bastir et al, 2011;Holton et al, 2014). Differences in nasal cavity form have been shown to be climatic adaptations involving the need to heat and humidify respired air (Proetz, 1953;Carey and Steegmann, 1981;Franciscus and Trinkaus, 1988;Noback et al, 2011), and studies indicate that male-female differences in nasal size and shape is a sexual dimorphic feature appearing during adolescence (Rosas and Bastir, 2002;Hall, 2005;Bastir et al, 2011;Holton et al, 2014).…”

“…Anterior facial growth has been linked to the development of the nasal cavity and the respiratory system (Enlow, 1990;Bastir, 2008;Bastir et al, 2011;Holton et al, 2014). Differences in nasal cavity form have been shown to be climatic adaptations involving the need to heat and humidify respired air (Proetz, 1953;Carey and Steegmann, 1981;Franciscus and Trinkaus, 1988;Noback et al, 2011), and studies indicate that male-female differences in nasal size and shape is a sexual dimorphic feature appearing during adolescence (Rosas and Bastir, 2002;Hall, 2005;Bastir et al, 2011;Holton et al, 2014). That is males have a higher daily energy expenditure, greater respiratory air consumption and larger body mass and consequently a larger nasal size from adolescence onward (Bastir et al, 2011;Holton et al, 2014).…”

Risk factors for nasal bleeding in patients undergoing transnasal gastrointestinal endoscopy

“…This study reveals a higher frequency of bleeding in women than in men. This may originate in anatomical differences of the nasal cavity between males and females [6]. Dumortier et al.…”