Microwear, mechanics and the feeding adaptations of Australopithecus africanus. Academic Article

abstract

• Recent studies of dental microwear and craniofacial mechanics have yielded contradictory interpretations regarding the feeding ecology and adaptations of Australopithecus africanus. As part of this debate, the methods used in the mechanical studies have been criticized. In particular, it has been claimed that finite element analysis has been poorly applied to this research question. This paper responds to some of these mechanical criticisms, highlights limitations of dental microwear analysis, and identifies avenues of future research.

authors

• Dechow, Paul
• Wang, Qian

published proceedings

• J Hum Evol

author list (cited authors)

• Strait, D. S., Weber, G. W., Constantino, P., Lucas, P. W., Richmond, B. G., Spencer, M. A., ... Slice, D. E.

citation count

• 23

complete list of authors

• Strait, David S||Weber, Gerhard W||Constantino, Paul||Lucas, Peter W||Richmond, Brian G||Spencer, Mark A||Dechow, Paul C||Ross, Callum F||Grosse, Ian R||Wright, Barth W||Wood, Bernard A||Wang, Qian||Byron, Craig||Slice, Dennis E

publication date

• January 2012

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION  Journal

keywords

• Animals
• Biomechanical Phenomena
• Feeding Behavior
• Food
• Fossils
• Hominidae
• Tooth
• Tooth Wear

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.10.006

start page

• 165

end page

• 168

volume

• 62

issue

• 1

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.10.006