Microevolution of outer and inner structures of upper molars in Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene humans

Abstract

In this study, we investigate outer and inner variations of upper second molars (UM2) for Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene modern humans, at a key-period in our evolutionary history associated with major sociocultural, economic and environmental changes. Non-metric traits have been recorded on 89 UM2 of 66 Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic individuals, and 40 UM2 have been microscanned to assess variations in enamel thickness (ET) distribution and enamel–dentine junction (EDJ) shape. Major changes are found between Mesolithic and Neolithic periods: a decrease of the metacone expression combined with an increase of the hypocone development; an increase of the heterogeneity of ET distribution between lingual and buccal cusps; and an increase of the development of the dentine horn tips corresponding to the hypocone and, to a lesser extent, to the metacone. These morphological modifications could be linked to the masticatory functional changes associated with the transition to agriculture.