Genotype, phenotype, and developmental biology of molar tooth characters.
The writers discuss the genotype, phenotype, and developmental biology of molar tooth characters. They note that primate molar shapes reflect ecological and developmental processes, but development may hinder as well as facilitate evolution of new tooth shapes, having a negative effect on how trust...
| Published in: | American Journal of Physical Anthropology pp. 171 - 191 |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
2000
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| Summary: | The writers discuss the genotype, phenotype, and developmental biology of molar tooth characters. They note that primate molar shapes reflect ecological and developmental processes, but development may hinder as well as facilitate evolution of new tooth shapes, having a negative effect on how trustworthy dental characters are in phylogenetic studies. They argue that the repeated activation of the developmental module can account for the cumulative variation in later-developing cusps. They conclude that the whole cusp pattern is a product of a dynamic developmental program reflected in the activation of the developmental modules. |
|---|