Dissertation Research: Three-Dimensional Comparisons of Craniofacial Growth Patterns in Modern Humans and Neandertals

对生长模式的研究在人类进化研究中具有重要意义。对古代和现代青少年头面部形态和生长模式的详细比较是可能的，因为青少年尼安德特人的遗骸相对丰富。这个项目将使用来自非洲、欧洲、亚洲和北美的8个尼安德特人和10个现代人样本来比较现代和古代青少年头面部的形态和发育。其目的是：1)检验现代人类幼体形态和生长的变异性，2)确定是否可以区分基本的、现代的人类头面部生长模式，以及3)将这种现代人类模式与尼安德特人的模式进行比较。该项目在使用三维(3D)形态测量方法研究尼安德特人的头面部发育方面是独一无二的，并且是第一个包括足够的现代青少年人类样本的项目，可以根据这些样本来评估尼安德特人的模式。这些数据包括从面部、脑颅、颅底和下颌的80个地标收集的3D坐标位置。一项初步研究证明了3D数据和方法的实用性，并揭示了尼安德特人和现代人在生长方面的差异。它还揭示了两个现代人样本之间的生长差异，支持进一步研究现代人幼体形态和生长的变异性的必要性。

The study of growth patterns is important in the study of human evolution. Detailed comparisons of archaic and modern juvenile craniofacial morphology and growth patterns are possible because the remains of juvenile Neandertals are relatively abundant. This project will compare modern and archaic juvenile craniofacial morphology and growth using eight juvenile Neandertals and ten samples of modern humans from Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. The purpose is to: 1) examine variability in modern h uman juvenile morphology and growth, 2) determine if a basic, modern human pattern of craniofacial growth can be distinguished, and 3) compare this modern human pattern with the Neandertal pattern. This project is unique in using three-dimensional (3D) morphometric methods to examine craniofacial growth in Neandertals and is the first to include an adequate sampling of juvenile modern humans against which the Neandertal pattern can be evaluated. The data consist of 3D coordinate locations collected from 80 landmarks on the face, neurocranium, basicranium, and mandible. A pilot study has demonstrated the utility of the 3D data and methods, and has revealed differences in growth between Neandertals and modern humans. It also revealed differences in growth between two modern human samples, supporting the need for further investigation of variability in modern human juvenile morphology and growth.