Date of Graduation

12-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Anthropology (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Anthropology

Advisor/Mentor

Peter Ungar

Committee Member

J. Michael Plavcan

Second Committee Member

Lucas Delezene

Keywords

Dental microwear, Diet, Primates

Abstract

This thesis considers canine microwear in relation to diet in five Sumatran primates (Pongo abelii, Hylobates lar, Hylobates agilis, Presbytis thomasi, and Macaca fascicularis) and two African great apes (Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) using both microwear texture analysis and microwear feature analysis techniques. Statistical results for texture analysis show that there are significant differences in scale of maximum and heterogeneity. This indicates that some species have large pits on their canine surfaces, having these dominated by deep features at coarse scale yet have a slight microwear heterogeneity. For feature analysis, all variables show statistically significant variation. Variance in average width and number of scratches, for example between Po. abelii and H. agilis, can be related to food choice, canine use for food processing and/or to their distinctive canine morphologies.

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