Date of Graduation
5-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Biological Sciences
Advisor/Mentor
Paul, Kathleen
Committee Member/Reader
Evans, Timothy
Committee Member/Second Reader
Beaulieu, Jeremy
Committee Member/Third Reader
Aloia, Lindsey
Abstract
This study is methods-focused, centering around molar crown macrowear and its performance as a proxy for age in a sample of pedigreed, non-human primates. It analyzes the correlation between age-structured variables and molar wear among both males and females in a captive group of baboons. Here, I examined whether wear is significantly correlated with age-related variables (i.e., generations/cohorts) and whether the structure of the “age” dataset differed across wear categories. Because chronological age is unknown, I used documented pedigrees and parent-offspring relationships to group individuals into possible generations. I then used dental development charts to group individuals into cohorts based on tooth eruption patterns observed from dental casts of each individual. A modified version of the Scott System was used to record degree of molar wear. Results indicate significant differences in both age and wear profiles between males and females. However, for both sex-groups, significant relationships exist between M1 and M2 wear and “age” (i.e., cohort/generation membership) that suggest, as expected, wear increases the longer an individual is alive. Results also indicate significant differences in age profiles for males and females across wear categories that might be useful in assigning cohort/generation membership when no pedigree records are available. These findings could be applied by other researchers, especially those wishing to include age as a model covariate in future analyses.
Keywords
Non-Human Primates, Pedigree, Generation, Cohort, Wear Score, Quantitative Genetic Analysis
Citation
Conrad, L. (2023). Molar Macrowear as a Proxy for Age in a Captive Sample of Papio hamadryas. Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/biscuht/77