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How Neanderthal molar teeth grew

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto Macchiarelli

    (Université de Poitiers)

  • Luca Bondioli

    (Sezione di Antropologia, Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico ‘L. Pigorini’)

  • André Debénath

    (Université de Perpignan)

  • Arnaud Mazurier

    (Université de Poitiers
    Etudes Recherches Matériaux)

  • Jean-François Tournepiche

    (Musée d’Angoulême
    UMR 5199 CNRS, Université Bordeaux 1)

  • Wendy Birch

    (University College London)

  • M. Christopher Dean

    (University College London)

Abstract

Dental history Important aspects of life history and development, such as degree of development at birth, maturation rate and thus length of childhood, are sensitively recorded in the teeth, traceable through daily growth lines in the enamel and detailed analysis of molar extension and root formation. Neanderthals, the closest known relatives of modern humans, have been thought to have had very short childhoods in which individuals grew rapidly. This startling result is now corrected by an in-depth study on Neanderthal molars. Although the timing of molar crown and root completion in Neanderthals matches those known for modern humans, a more complex enamel–dentine junction and a late peak in molar root extension rate still sets them apart.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Macchiarelli & Luca Bondioli & André Debénath & Arnaud Mazurier & Jean-François Tournepiche & Wendy Birch & M. Christopher Dean, 2006. "How Neanderthal molar teeth grew," Nature, Nature, vol. 444(7120), pages 748-751, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:444:y:2006:i:7120:d:10.1038_nature05314
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05314
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    Cited by:

    1. Laura Martín-Francés & María Martinón-Torres & Marina Martínez de Pinillos & Cecilia García-Campos & Clément Zanolli & Priscilla Bayle & Mario Modesto-Mata & Juan Luis Arsuaga & José María Bermúdez de, 2020. "Crown tissue proportions and enamel thickness distribution in the Middle Pleistocene hominin molars from Sima de los Huesos (SH) population (Atapuerca, Spain)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-35, June.

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