What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation
Background The development of the permanent dentition provides a reliable substrate to infer ontogenetic patterns within and among species. Multivariate methods offer a promising approach to compare taxon-specific patterns.Aim This study used multivariate statistical approaches to compare ontogeneti...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Annals of Human Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/03014460.2025.2512024 |
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| author | Christopher A. Wolfe Julia C. Boughner Kyra E. Stull |
| author_facet | Christopher A. Wolfe Julia C. Boughner Kyra E. Stull |
| author_sort | Christopher A. Wolfe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The development of the permanent dentition provides a reliable substrate to infer ontogenetic patterns within and among species. Multivariate methods offer a promising approach to compare taxon-specific patterns.Aim This study used multivariate statistical approaches to compare ontogenetic patterns by more comprehensively quantifying variation in crypt and tooth formation scores for the permanent dentition in five catarrhine primate taxa, Homo sapiens, Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Hylobates lar, and Papio anubis.Subjects and Methods Tooth formation was scored according to published standards for each specimen. Multivariate relationships between teeth were modelled according to a Bayesian multivariate cumulative probit model. Relationships among and between teeth were summarised with correlation matrices, variable loadings plots, and the Frobenius norm. Univariate boxplots were used to contextualise and check the biological salience of the multivariate results.Results H. sapiens results corroborate previous research and show a degree of modularity that separates early forming and later-forming teeth. All four other species may show broad correlative patterns, but clear biological patterns are masked due to small sample sizes and/or sample composition.Conclusion Even with careful application of statistical procedures, ontogenetic inferences are only as good as the data are comprehensive. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d9b1ed1fcec44eeaaf75cbcd6e15476c |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0301-4460 1464-5033 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
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| series | Annals of Human Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d9b1ed1fcec44eeaaf75cbcd6e15476c2025-06-30T10:36:53ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Human Biology0301-44601464-50332025-06-0152sup110.1080/03014460.2025.2512024What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formationChristopher A. Wolfe0Julia C. Boughner1Kyra E. Stull2Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USADepartment of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, CanadaDepartment of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USABackground The development of the permanent dentition provides a reliable substrate to infer ontogenetic patterns within and among species. Multivariate methods offer a promising approach to compare taxon-specific patterns.Aim This study used multivariate statistical approaches to compare ontogenetic patterns by more comprehensively quantifying variation in crypt and tooth formation scores for the permanent dentition in five catarrhine primate taxa, Homo sapiens, Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Hylobates lar, and Papio anubis.Subjects and Methods Tooth formation was scored according to published standards for each specimen. Multivariate relationships between teeth were modelled according to a Bayesian multivariate cumulative probit model. Relationships among and between teeth were summarised with correlation matrices, variable loadings plots, and the Frobenius norm. Univariate boxplots were used to contextualise and check the biological salience of the multivariate results.Results H. sapiens results corroborate previous research and show a degree of modularity that separates early forming and later-forming teeth. All four other species may show broad correlative patterns, but clear biological patterns are masked due to small sample sizes and/or sample composition.Conclusion Even with careful application of statistical procedures, ontogenetic inferences are only as good as the data are comprehensive.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/03014460.2025.2512024Tooth mineralisationcrypt formationmultivariate statisticsmethodological issuesprimate |
| spellingShingle | Christopher A. Wolfe Julia C. Boughner Kyra E. Stull What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation Annals of Human Biology Tooth mineralisation crypt formation multivariate statistics methodological issues primate |
| title | What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| title_full | What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| title_fullStr | What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| title_full_unstemmed | What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| title_short | What use are ontogenetic data anyway? Challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| title_sort | what use are ontogenetic data anyway challenges in multivariate modelling of primate tooth formation |
| topic | Tooth mineralisation crypt formation multivariate statistics methodological issues primate |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/03014460.2025.2512024 |
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