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Neanderthal teeth from Lezetxiki (Arrasate, Iberian Peninsula): New insights and reassessment

López-Onaindia, D; Lozano, M; Gómez-Robles, A; Arrizabalaga, A; Subirà, ME; (2023) Neanderthal teeth from Lezetxiki (Arrasate, Iberian Peninsula): New insights and reassessment. American Journal of Biological Anthropology 10.1002/ajpa.24694. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

Objectives: We reassess the taxonomic assignment and stratigraphic context of a permanent upper first molar and a permanent lower third premolar recovered from the archeological site of Lezetxiki in the North of the Iberian Peninsula. Materials and Methods: We assessed the external and internal morphology of the teeth using qualitative descriptions, crown diameters, dental tissue proportions, and geometric morphometrics. The teeth from Lezetxiki were compared with Middle Pleistocene specimens, Neanderthals, Upper Paleolithic modern humans, and recent modern humans. Results: Both teeth were consistent with a Neanderthal classification. The upper first molar shows taurodontism, and its cusp proportions and overall morphology match those of Neanderthals. Geometric morphometric analyses of occlusal anatomy classify this molar as a Neanderthal with a posterior probability of 76%. The lower third premolar, which was originally classified as a lower fourth premolar, also shows a Neanderthal morphology. This premolar is classified as a Neanderthal with a posterior probability of 60%. Discussion: These teeth represent the only adult Neanderthal teeth from the Western Pyrenees region found to date. The teeth were found at a stratigraphic level (designated Level III) that marks the transition level from Mousterian to Aurignacian, and are among the most recent Neanderthal remains from the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

Type: Article
Title: Neanderthal teeth from Lezetxiki (Arrasate, Iberian Peninsula): New insights and reassessment
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24694
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24694
Language: English
Additional information: © 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Keywords: dental tissue proportions, geometric morphometrics, microtomography, Paleolithic, stratigraphy
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Anthropology
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10165047
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