Investigations into Carnivoran Premolar Morphology and Evolution
Date
2015-06-30
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Abstract
Carnivoran tooth evolution has been studied extensively because of the
diversity within the order and their role in ecosystems. The large number of
phylogenetic and functional morphological studies makes canivorans the ideal
study group for dental morphology. The molars, which offer excellent data for
diet and phylogenetic reconstructions, are the main focus of most tooth
morphological studies. This study focused on the carnivoran premolar variability
because of the premolars’ potential to have a wide range of morphologies. The
anterior premolars do not occlude with one another, potentially allowing them
more morphological freedom. Premolars of carnivorans were found to be more
variable in their shapes but not their sizes compared with rest of the dentition.
Fluctuating asymmetry was found to be the same in premolars and molars,
suggesting a consistent amount of developmental controls. Regressions showed
that there was a correlation between premolar and molar size and premolar and
molar length. The conclusions of this study suggest that the premolars are part of
their own morphogenetic field that is influenced by other factors such as
occlusion and dietary needs. The relationship within the tooth row of carnivorans
cannot be simply explained by one morphological or developmental theory.
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Keywords
morphology, carnivorans, Carnivora, premolars, molars, dentition