Morphological variation of the deciduous second molars in the Baka Pygmies. 2021

Petra G Šimková, and Gerhard W Weber, and Fernando V Ramirez Rozzi, and Lotfi Slimani, and Jérémy Sadoine, and Cinzia Fornai
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. petra.simkova@univie.ac.at.

The Baka Pygmies are known for their short stature resulting from a reduced growth rate during infancy. They are peculiar also for their teeth erupt earlier than in any other African population, and their posterior dentition is larger than in non-Pygmy populations. However, the Baka's dental morphology, like several other aspects of their biology, is still understudied. Here, we explore the variation of the Baka's deciduous upper and lower second molars (dm2s) in comparison to a geographically heterogeneous human sample by means of 3D geometric morphometrics and analysis of dental traits. Our results show that the different populations largely overlap based on the shape of their dm2s, especially the lower ones. Their distal region and the height of the dentinal crown differ the most, with the Baka showing the most extreme range of variation. Upper and lower dm2s covary to a great extent (RV = 0.82). The Baka's and South Americans' dm2s were confirmed among the largest in our sample. Despite the Baka's unique growth pattern, long-lasting isolation, and extreme dental variation, it is not possible to distinguish them from other populations based on their dm2s' morphology only.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008297 Male Males
D008963 Molar The most posterior teeth on either side of the jaw, totaling eight in the deciduous dentition (2 on each side, upper and lower), and usually 12 in the permanent dentition (three on each side, upper and lower). They are grinding teeth, having large crowns and broad chewing surfaces. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p821) Molars
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014094 Tooth, Deciduous The teeth of the first dentition, which are shed and replaced by the permanent teeth. Primary Tooth,Tooth, Primary,Baby Teeth,Baby Tooth,Dentition, Deciduous,Dentition, Primary,Milk Teeth,Milk Tooth,Primary Teeth,Teeth, Deciduous,Teeth, Primary,Deciduous Dentition,Deciduous Dentitions,Deciduous Teeth,Deciduous Tooth,Dentitions, Deciduous,Dentitions, Primary,Primary Dentition,Primary Dentitions,Teeth, Baby,Teeth, Milk,Tooth, Baby,Tooth, Milk
D044383 Black People Persons having origins in any of the black racial groups of AFRICA. Note that OMB category BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN is available for the United States population groups. Race and ethnicity terms, as used in the federal government, are self-identified social construct and may include terms outdated and offensive in MeSH to assist users who are interested in retrieving comprehensive search results for studies such as in longitudinal studies. African Continental Ancestry Group,Black Person,Negroid Race,Black Peoples,Black Persons,Negroid Races,People, Black,Person, Black,Persons, Black,Race, Negroid
D063405 Anatomic Variation Peculiarities associated with the internal structure, form, topology, or architecture of organisms that distinguishes them from others of the same species or group.

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