Evolutionary transformations of the mammalian dentition

Abstract

Functional aspects of the evolution of the mammalian dental organisation and molar tooth form are reviewed. The sequential changes are interpreted as adaptive modifications; many of them have taken place independently in more than one phyletic group, or a similar functional result has been produced by convergence. The resulting homoplasy is probably a general characteristic of evolutionary change, particularly evident in the teeth because they are especially well represented in the fossil record.