Date of Award

1-1-2015

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Anthropology

Content Description

1 online resource (xiii, 318 pages) : color illustrations.

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

David S Strait

Keywords

Paranthropus, Fossil hominids, Biomechanics, Head, Mouth, Dental anthropology

Subject Categories

Biological and Physical Anthropology

Abstract

An engineering method, finite element analysis (FEA), was used to examine the craniofacial biomechanics of Paranthropus boisei. The craniofacial morphology of Paranthropus boisei exhibits a number of highly derived characteristics that have commonly been thought to be related to feeding. This series of studies includes an ex vivo strain gage study (validation of techniques), an assessment of the effects of intraspecific craniofacial shape variation in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and an examination of the feeding biomechanics of Paranthropus boisei. Modeling experiments were also conducted to test mechanical hypotheses regarding the effects of specific derived craniofacial features on Paranthropus feeding function.

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