Abstract

BARBEITO-ANDRES, Jimena; SARDI, Marina L; ANZELMO, Marisol  and  PUCCIARELLI, Héctor M. Matrices funcionales e integración morfológica: Un estudio ontogénico de la bóveda y el maxilar. Rev Arg Antrop Biol [online]. 2012, vol.14, n.1, pp.79-87. ISSN 1514-7991.

Ontogenetic studies help to understand how those morphological differences found among adults arise. These are the result of differential association among morphological traits, which can be due to developmental as well as functional factors. According to the functional paradigm, change in bone structures is the result of the influence of associated soft tissue, cavities and organs (functional matrix). In this work, two craneofacial structures were analysed: the vault, composed by several bones and a homogeneous functional matrix, and the maxilla, a single bone affected by diverse matrices. The hypothesis that indicates that along ontogeny covariation patterns change was tested. Landmarks were registered on 267 adult and subadult skulls. Principal Components Analysis was applied in order to assess shape variation along ontogeny. To examine ontogenetic change in the morphological integration pattern, a correlation analysis between the successive covariation matrices was carried out. The results indicate that while in the vault there are not ontogenic differences in covariation patterns, these patterns change in the maxilla. Covariation patterns in these structures would behave according to the number and characteristics of associated matrices.

Keywords : Craniofacial development; Covariation; Morphometrics.

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