Dental development and upper molar cusp dimensions of South African australopithecines

Abstract

In recent years a number of papers have been published on the mechanisms of dental development, and in particular on the genetic control of dental formation. As a specific example of the potential of this kind of research for paleoanthropological studies, cusp areas of upper molars of two species of South African australopithecines (Australopithecus africanus, A. robustus) have been examined. The results suggest notable differences between the two species, possibly related to different developmental pathways, although details need clarifying.