Dental Microwear Textures of Paranthropus robustus from Kromdraai, Drimolen, and an Enlarged Sample from Swartkrans: Ecological and Intraspecific Variation

<p>The original microwear texture baseline for South African hominins was done by Scott et al. (2005) and concluded that Paranthropus robustus exhibited higher complexity values (Asfc) that are seen in occasional hard object feeders. Australopithecus africanus has higher anisotropy values (epLsar) consistent with consuming tough objects. This study expands upon this baseline by increasing the sample size from n = 9 for P. robustus and n = 10 for Au. africanus to n = 66 and n = 44, respectively. Additionally, this study incorporates multiple different sites and deposits. The P. robustus sample includes Drimolen, Kromdraai, and an expanded sample from Swartkrans, incorporating samples from Member 1 Hanging Remnant, Member 1 Lower Bank, Member 2, and Member 3. The Au. africanus sample expands the Sterkfontein sample and also incorporates Makapansgat. </p> <p>White-light confocal microscopy in conjunction with scale-sensitive fractal analysis quantifies microwear texture variables. In addition, ISO parameters are also incorporated to further elaborate on specific attributes of texture patterns. ANOVA and MANOVA tests assess differences among central tendencies between taxa as well as among deposits. Pairwise tests assess differences in dispersion among P. robustus bearing deposits. Between taxa, the same complexity and anisotropy patterns seen in the previous study are also seen in this study. Among the P. robustus bearing deposits, there were no significant differences among central tendencies, but there were differences in dispersion. This suggests that while there is variation in textures among P. robustus samples, these differences are not outside the overall range seen for the species. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Anthropology (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Peterson, Alexandria Sachiko

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ungar, Peter S.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Delezene, Lucas K.
• Plavcan, Joseph M.

• Anthropology
• Diet
• Hominin
• Microwear
• Paranthropus
• Teeth
• Biological and Physical Anthropology
• Paleontology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2458

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uark.edu:etd-3997