Paleodiet of Extinct Platyrrhines With Emphasis on the Caribbean Forms: Three‐Dimensional Geometric Morphometrics of Mandibular Second Molars

Abstract

A three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach was employed to examine shape variation in laser-scan generated models of lower second molars and its relationship to diet in a sample of 9 extant and 16 extinct platyrrhine genera. Principal component analysis of twenty-three x,y,z landmarks describing the occlusal table and sidewalls showed that dental relief was the main contributing factor to variation along the first axis. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) of PC 1 scores and centroid size accurately classified extant platyrrhines according to dietary preference; however, without centroid size, the DFA was less successful. Within this framework, most of the fossil platyrrhines, including specimens from Patagonia, Colombia, Brazil, and the Caribbean, were predicted to have had a frugivorous diet, but several taxa were classified as having a frugivorous/insectivorous diet, the middle Miocene Neosaimiri, Patasola, and Laventiana, all from La Venta. Alouattins, including the La Ventan Stirtonia and the Cuban Paralouatta, showed variable classification as either frugivores or folivore/frugivores. Xenothrix, from Jamaica, was classified either as a frugivore or frugivore/omnivore. Dietary profiles across different extinct platyrrhine communities are compared and discussed in a paleoecological context. Anat Rec, 294:2073Rec, 294: -2091Rec, 294: , 2011. V V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dental topography of platyrrhines and prosimians: Convergence and contrasts

“…In living primates, gross molar shape and the number and form of specific molar features correlate strongly with feeding behavior (e.g., Gregory, 1922;Kay, 1975;Rosenberger and Kinzey, 1976;Covert, 1986;Anapol and Lee, 1994;Zuccotti et al, 1998;M'Kirera and Ungar, 2003;Evans et al, 2007;Boyer, 2008;Bunn et al, 2011;Cooke, 2011). Species that consume tough and=or stiff insect chitin or tough yet pliant cellulose-rich leaves tend to possess molars with high, sharp cusps and longer shearing crests for puncturing and shearing these materials.…”

“…In terms of size, species that eat large quantities of tough foods with nutrients limited relative to their metabolic needs (folivores and small insectivores) tend to have relatively larger teeth for their body mass (e.g., Kay, 1975;Gingerich et al, 1982;Gingerich and Smith, 1984;Strait, 1993). These presumably adaptive relationships between the forms of molar teeth and their functions in overcoming mechanical and structural defenses of foods have been instructive in understanding the ecology of living and extinct primate species (e.g., Kay, 1975Kay, , 1977M'Kirera and Ungar, 2003;Ungar, 2007;Boyer, 2008;Boyer et al, 2010;Bunn et al, 2011;Cooke, 2011;Godfrey et al, 2012;Wilson et al, 2012). One of the more recent and promising approaches in this area has been coined "dental topographic analysis" (Ungar and Williamson, 2000).…”

Rethinking Antillothrix: The Mandible and Its Implications

“…and the genetic research arguing for a cebid relationship (here supported by S.B.C.). Among the extinct Caribbean taxa mentioned, Xenothrix and Insulacebus are classified as pitheciids [see Cooke et al, 2011], whereas Paralouatta is an atelid [Cooke, 2011;Rosenberger, 2002]. Other mainland extinct pitheciids mentioned below include Cebupithecia sarmientoi, Soriacebus ameghinorum, Homunculus patagonicus, Lagonimico conclucatus, Nuciruptor rubricae, and in some analyses [see Rosenberger et al, 2009], Aotus dindensis.…”

TheAnatomicalRecord by the Numbers: Seeing Anatomy Through the Lens of Mathematics and Geometry

“…These include: Frost et al's assessment of cranial allometry in large-bodied papionins (Frost, 2003); Rosas and Bastir's study of variation in mandibles from the famous Atapuerca hominids of Spain (Rosas, 2004); Bonnan's study of long bone scaling patterns in Jurassic neosauropod dinosaurs (Bonnan, 2007); White's assessment of molar shape in modern lemurs and lorises (White, 2009) (Zollikofer, 2009); Reiss and Bonnan's study of caudal fin scaling in the spiny dogfish (Reiss, 2010); Cooke's study of mandibular second molar morphology in platyrrhines (Cooke, 2011); Sylvester's study of the medial tibial condyle of African hominids (Sylvester's, 2013); and Turley et al's examinations of the catarrhine talus (Turley, 2011;Turley, 2013). This month's special issue is a proud continuation of The Anatomical Record's robust history of presenting cutting-edge explorations that seek to uncover the mysteries that underlie the determination of biologic shape and pattern.…”