Microstructural and Developmental Anatomy of the Dentition of Ardipithecus Ramidus

地猿齿列的显微结构和发育解剖学

• 批准号: 9727519
• 负责人: Scott Simpson
• 金额: $ 8.88万
• 依托单位: Case Western Reserve University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-05-01 至 2002-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9727519&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Microstructural; Developmental; Anatomy; Dentition; Ardipithecus

The fossil record is still the only guide to the timing and sequence of anatomical adaptations that resulted in modern humans. Beginning in 1992, fossils representing the earliest known, and perhaps first, species of our lineage were recovered from the Afar region of Ethiopia. This new species, named Ardipithecus ramidus, lived 4.4 million years ago in the tropical forests of the northern East African Rift. By the end of the 1997 field season, fossilized remains representing dozens of individuals were found including many teeth. Preliminary analyses of A. ramidus teeth distinguish it from all other known hominids by demonstrating unique gross and microstructural dental anatomy. Due in large part to our better understanding of the growth and development of dental tissues, we can now reconstruct with some fidelity the timing, nature, and duration of dental, facial, and somatic growth from these dental and facial remains. In addition, gross changes in the size and shape of the teeth also provide insight into their function. This study will explore the dental anatomy in Ardipithecus ramidus, other early hominids, extant apes, and modern humans using a variety of approaches to shed light on the adaptations, growth, and evolution of our earliest ancestor.

化石记录仍然是解释产生现代人类的解剖适应的时间和顺序的唯一指南。 从 1992 年开始，我们在埃塞俄比亚的阿法尔地区发现了代表我们谱系中已知最早、或许也是第一个物种的化石。 这个新物种被命名为Ardipithecus ramidus，生活在440万年前东非大裂谷北部的热带森林中。到 1997 年野外季节结束时，人们发现了代表数十个人的化石遗骸，其中包括许多牙齿。 对A. ramidus牙齿的初步分析通过展示独特的总体和微观结构牙齿解剖结构将其与所有其他已知的原始人类区分开来。 很大程度上由于我们对牙齿组织的生长和发育有了更好的了解，我们现在可以从这些牙齿和面部遗骸中准确地重建牙齿、面部和躯体生长的时间、性质和持续时间。 此外，牙齿大小和形状的总体变化也可以深入了解牙齿的功能。 这项研究将利用多种方法探索始祖猿、其他早期原始人类、现存猿类和现代人类的牙齿解剖结构，以揭示我们最早祖先的适应、生长和进化。