Morphological and functional aspects of the temporal bone articular tubercle morphology inHomo erectus andHomo sapiens |
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Authors: | M Elyaqtine |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du passé, Université Bordeaux I-UMR 5809 du CNRS, avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence Cedex, (France);(2) Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat), Rue des Annonciades 1, 2900 Porrentruy, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | The morphological variability of the temporal articular tubercle was studied inHomo erectus andHomo sapiens. Five configurations have been defined. There is a high heterogeneity amongHomo erectus. The Neandertal lineage and that leading toHomo sapiens sapiens are more homogenous, each of them exhibits a high frequency of one configuration. This study has also focused on the functional
implications of this variation. A theoretical approach to two different configurations of the articular tubercle is considered
in the same bony, muscular and ligamentary context. This suggests that the configuration which consists of a transverse concavity
is, for the mandible depression, concomitant with a slight functional disadvantage in comparison with the cylindrical configuration.
It appears that a midfacial projection allows for a compensation of this disadvantage. It is concluded that this model can
be proposed for Neandertals which present a very concave articular tubercle and a typical midfacial projection. |
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Keywords: | temporal articular tubercle morphology function Homo erectus Homo sapiens |
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