Changes in the sexual dimorphism of the human mandible during the last 1200 years in Central Europe
Language English Country Germany Media print-electronic
Document type Comparative Study, Historical Article, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PubMed
24004582
DOI
10.1016/j.jchb.2013.05.003
PII: S0018-442X(13)00117-0
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- MeSH
- History, 15th Century MeSH
- History, 16th Century MeSH
- History, 17th Century MeSH
- History, 18th Century MeSH
- History, 19th Century MeSH
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- History, 21st Century MeSH
- History, Medieval MeSH
- Diet MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mandible anatomy & histology MeSH
- Climate MeSH
- Sex Factors * MeSH
- Environment MeSH
- Fossils * MeSH
- Check Tag
- History, 15th Century MeSH
- History, 16th Century MeSH
- History, 17th Century MeSH
- History, 18th Century MeSH
- History, 19th Century MeSH
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- History, 21st Century MeSH
- History, Medieval MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Historical Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Comparative Study MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
According to many investigations, changes in mandibular morphology can occur synchronously with changes in the environment, and sexual dimorphism of the mandible can be influenced by the environment. Sexual dimorphism during the last 1200 years was evaluated using geometric morphometric analysis of virtual cranial models. The method of geometric morphometrics allows differences in size and shape to be assessed separately. We analyzed groups of adult individuals dating to Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages, Early Modern Ages and from a modern Czech population (21st century). Significant sexual dimorphism in mandibular size was found in all populations. A trend in the sexual dimorphism of size was seen, with differences between the sexes increasing gradually over time. Size changes in female mandibles were a better reflection of environmental conditions and climate than size changes in male mandibles. Regarding changes in the sexual dimorphism of shape, significant dimorphism was found in all four samples. However, the pattern of mandibular shape dimorphism was different and varied considerably between samples. There was only one stable shape trait showing sexual dimorphism across all four samples in our study: the gonion lies more laterally in male than in female mandibles and male mandibles are relatively wider than female mandibles. Sexual dimorphism of shape is not influenced by the climate; instead sexual selection might play a role. This research supports earlier studies that have found that the degree and pattern of sexual dimorphism is population-specific and the factors regulating sexual dimorphism today may not be the same as those in the past.
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