Note sur l'ontogenèse crânienne et les hétérochronies chez Gorilla gorilla et Pan troglodytes

Abstract

Cranial Ontogeny and Heterochronies in Gorilla gorilla and Pan troglodytes. The dynamics and chronology of the development of Gorilla gorilla and Pan troglodytes are clarified by comparing their cranial ontogenesis using Procrustes methods. Phenetic trees confirm a morphological gradient from neonate to adult, with more obvious sexual dimorphism in gorillas. By quantifying morphological change through vector field, the spatial arrangement of cranio-facial growth in the two species can be represented and compared. We conclude that differences in the timing of development (acceleration, pre-displacement, rate hypermorphosis by acceleration and time hypermorphosis by post-displacement) give rise to the intra- and inter-specific variation observed in the “great apes” ontogenetic plan.