Allometry in Paranthropus Molars: Re-testing the Monophyly Hypothesis
Open AccessIn this thesis, I review the current evidence for and against Paranthropus monophyly. Most of the current evidence supports monophyly, but several studies have provided evidence in favor of paraphyly. I also expand on previous studies (Wood, 1988; Suwa et al., 1994) that tested the hypothesis that the molar tooth crowns of Paranthropus robustus and Paranthropus boisei share the same allometric pattern. I re-analyze molar cusp areas in these taxa, adding molar teeth recovered from Drimolen, Gondolin and West Turkana, and in addition, I use geomorphometric methods to evaluate allometric trends in crown outline and fissure pattern. It has been proposed that P. boisei tooth crowns are a “scaled variant” of that of P. robustus (after Pilbeam and Gould, 1974; Patterson, 1982; Wood, 1988). My results are mixed with respect to this hypothesis. Results from the cusp area analysis are consistent with those from prior studies (Wood, 1988; Suwa et al., 1994) for the M1, while results for the M2 and M3 are not. Results from the geomorphometric analysis are more consistent with those from prior studies, in that analyses of crown outline shape and fissure pattern indicate that P. robustus and P. boisei do not share the same allometric trajectory.
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