Monkey Life Histories and Dental Hard Tissue Development

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Monkey teeth are known to grow in an incremental manner like trees. Regular layers of enamel and dentine are formed which represent known time intervals in the life of the animal. There is some evidence to suggest that disturbances of this regular laying down of dental tissue may be directly related to specific life-events such as giving birth to an infant. These scientists are investigating the feasibility of developing a method, using monkeys as a model, to 'read' fossil primate teeth for such information. Such a tool would provide invaluable information regarding how life-history events, such as the age of first reproduction in females, changed over the course of human evolution. This project aims to provide preliminary data to determine if further investigation of this phenomenon is warranted. Teeth from five adult female rhesus macaques will be sectioned and examined under both light and electron microscopes. Any disturbances in their teeth will be precisely aged and the results will be compared with the detailed records of their lives. All are known to have had at least one baby while their teeth were still forming. The macaques have been selected from a sample of primate skulls from individuals with known life-histories collected as part of an National Science Foundation planning grant. This work will support the research efforts of a female scientist and will also provide data of value to the broader scientific community, especially those concerned with the welfare or conservation of primate species.