Tooth wear, aging and diet in Amboseli baboons. Presented at EAP Meeting 2011, Almada, Portugal. More information: http://dentalecology

1. Jordi Galbany, Laia Dotras, Jeanne Altmann, Alejandro Pérez-Pérez, Susan C. Alberts
http://dentalecology.blogspot.com – jordigalbany@gmail.com
Tooth wear causes in Amboseli baboons
• Dental ecology
• Amboseli Baboon Research Project
• Occlusal tooth wear
• Interproximal tooth wear

2. Tooth morphology is a good
indicator of feeding ecology
and behavior in extant and
fossil primates, including
hominids.
• Studies the interaction between teeth and the environment, which can affect
individual fitness.
• Includes: functional morphology, tooth wear, dental microwear, enamel
microstructure, pathology, stable isotope analysis…
• We are in front of a new way to interpret primate teeth, including morphology,
ecology and behavior data (Cuozzo & Sauther, 2010 - Am J Phys Anthropol).
Dental ecology

4. Tooth wear and tooth loss
linked to abrasive fallback
foods (tamarind fruits) in
Lemur catta from Beza
Mahafaly (Cuozzo &
Sauther 2006).

6. How do we study baboons?
Amboseli Baboon Research Project

7. Amboseli Baboon Research Project
• Baboons studied since 1971.
• Project directed by Jeanne Altmann (Princeton University) and
Susan Alberts (Duke University)
• More than 1,300 individuals studies over the last 40 years
• Nowadays over 300 animals are studied daily, individually
recognized, from 5 social groups in the same population
• Methods: 1) behavior observation, 2) genetic analysis, 3)
hormonal analysis, and 4) darting fieldwork
• Since 2006, around 170 individuals have been captured, and
obtained its biometry, blood samples, tooth moulds, etc…
http://www.princeton.edu/~baboon/

8. PhotoCredit: Courtney Fitzpatrick

9. Baboons are individually recognized, and its behavior is registered

10. Proportion of feeding time
(1999-2006)

17. Occlusal tooth wear
Adriano - 9,88 years
M3
1.491%
M2
8.906%
M1
16.102%
P4P3
“Unless the factors that control
tooth wear remain so poorly
understood, the mammalian
dentition cannot really be
understood” (Lucas, 2004: 182-
183).

18. What can cause tooth wear in Amboseli baboons?
• We hypothesized some predictor variables that could potentially
cause tooth wear (I):
 Age: real age of known individuals. Tooth wear as a function of
age in several species.
 Individual percent of time consuming corms (USOs), because
abrasive foods can wear down enamel. Total number of registered
feeding points: 69,213. Mean per female: 1,281.

19. What can cause tooth wear in Amboseli baboons?
• We hypothesized some predictor variables that could potentially
cause tooth wear (II):
Importance of parental care: we
measured the total number of months that
females spent with dependent offspring
during their life (“eating for two’’).
 Social dominance rank, because predicts
priority of access to resources and impacts
many life history traits. High ranking
females would have access to the highest
quality foods.

20. Galbany J et al (2011) Am J Phys Anthropol
Occlusal tooth wear
n=54
n=45

21. Galbany J et al (2011) Am J Phys Anthropol
Occlusal tooth wear

22. Galbany J et al (2010) Folia Primatol
Mesio-distal diameters (length) in
postcanine teeth as a function of age
• Shape differences
• Interproximal tooth wear significant in
females (upper and lower P4 and M1)
Interproximal tooth wear
*
* *
*
*

23. Relative Crown Relief Complexity / OPC
Rhinoceros
Surfer Manipulator

24. Departament d’Educació i
Universitats de la Generalitat de
Catalunya – Beatriu de Pinós 2006 Beca Floquet de Neu 2007/08
Barcelona De Serveis Municipals S.A. CGL2007-60802/BTE
Biology Department
Tooth wear causes in Amboseli baboons
Jordi Galbany, Laia Dotras, Jeanne Altmann, Alejandro Pérez-Pérez, Susan C. Alberts
http://dentalecology.blogspot.com – jordigalbany@gmail.com
Conclusions
• Amboseli baboons present occlusal and interproximal
tooth wear as a function of age.
• The consumption of abrasive foods (corms - USOs) also
explains occlusal tooth wear variability.
• Future analyses, as relative crown relief and cusp
complexity, will determine how tooth wear is related to a
decrease of dental functionality and fitness.
Thanks for your attention!