%0 Journal Article
%A Gómez Robles, Aida
%A Martinón Torres, María
%A Bermúdez de Castro, José María
%A Margvelashvili, A.
%A Bastir, Markus
%A Arsuaga Ferreras, Juan Luis
%A Pérez Pérez, Alejandro
%A Estebaranz, Ferran
%A Martínez, Laura M.
%T A geometric morphometric analysis of hominin upper first molar shape
%D 2007
%@ 0047-2484
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/51215
%X Recent studies have revealed interesting differences in upper first molar morphology across the hominin fossil record, particularly significantbetween H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. Usually these analyses have been performed by means of classic morphometric methods, includingthe measurement of relative cusp areas or the angles defined between cusps. Although these studies have provided valuable information for themorphological characterization of some hominin species, we believe that the analysis of this particular tooth could be more conclusive for taxonomicassignment. In this study, we have applied geometric morphometric methods to explore the morphological variability of the upper firstmolar (M1) across the human fossil record. Our emphasis focuses on the study of the phenetic relationships among the European middle Pleistocenepopulations (designated as H. heidelbergensis) with H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens, but the inclusion of Australopithecus and earlyHomo specimens has helped us to assess the polarity of the observed traits. H. neanderthalensis presents a unique morphology characterized bya relatively distal displacement of the lingual cusps and protrusion in the external outline of a large and bulging hypocone. This morphology canbe found in a less pronounced degree in the European early and middle Pleistocene populations, and reaches its maximum expression with theH. neanderthalensis lineage. In contrast, modern humans retain the primitive morphology with a square occlusal polygon associated with a roundexternal outline.
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