A Morphometric Study of Maxillary Post Canine Dentition in Australopithecus Africanus from Sterkfontein, South Africa: One Species or Two?

Author

Lesley K. Mackie, Colorado CollegeFollow

Date of Award

Summer 8-8-2017

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Frank L’Engle Williams

Second Advisor

Bethany Turner-Livermore

Third Advisor

Jeffrey B. Glover

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine whether the premolars and molars found at Sterkfontein Sts Mbr. 4 and StW Mbr. 5 are morphometrically similar to the degree that all individuals could belong to the same species, A. africanus. Mesial-distal (MD) and buccal-lingual (BL) measurements were obtained from maxillary premolars (P³ and P⁴) and molars (M¹, M², and M³) of Homo, Pan, and Gorilla, and compared to their counterparts attributed to A. africanus from Sterkfontein. Specimen samples were statistically analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The results support the acceptance of the null hypothesis, indicating that the dental remains from Sts Mbr. 4 and StW Mbr 5 are from the same species.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/10460910

Recommended Citation

Mackie, Lesley K., "A Morphometric Study of Maxillary Post Canine Dentition in Australopithecus Africanus from Sterkfontein, South Africa: One Species or Two?." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2017.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/10460910