The late Middle Pleistocene upper third molar from Florisbad: metrics and morphology

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa Vol. 70; no. 3; pp. 233 - 244
• Main Authors: Smith, P., Brink, J. S., Hoffman, J. W., Bam, L.C., Nshimirimana, R., de Beer, F.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 02-09-2015
• Subjects: Late Mid-Pleistocene Homo; Micro-tomography; South Africa fossil teeth; Third molar
• ISSN: 0035-919X; 2154-0098
• DOI: 10.1080/0035919X.2015.1065930

In the early 1930s an upper right third molar (M
3
) together with a calotte and fragmented facial bones of an adult fossil hominin was recovered during excavations at Florisbad. The M
3
is one of the few well-dated teeth associated with cranial remains from the late Mid-Pleistocene in southern Africa and as such provides a valuable addition to the fossil dental record of this region. Here we provide a detailed description of the tooth based on standard measurements and 3D images derived from high resolution micro-high resolution micro-focus X-ray tomography. Our results show that the Florisbad M
3
falls within the size range of African Homo erectus. It is slightly larger than other peri-contemporary M
3
s known from Africa that date from the Middle to Late Pleistocene. Like them, however, it also falls within the size range of recent, large-toothed African populations. These results suggest the maintenance of selective pressures favouring large teeth in some African populations until the present.