Mosaic dental morphology of a newly discovered human upper premolar and AMS 14C dating of the Weijiadong cave site in Guizhou province, South China

doi:10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2020.0054

Abstract

Abstract:

Weijiadong Paleolithic cave site located in Bijie City, Guizhou province in southern China, was first discovered in 2007. Further excavations conducted during the field season of 2016~2018, where thousands of paleolithic artifacts, rich animal bone fragment remains, and human teeth were discovered from the upper disturbed layer. In 2018, the original lower deposit layer was uncovered at the front part of cave entrance and inner part of the cave back. The approach of ¹⁴C AMS dates the geological age of the Paleolithic layer as old as 12-27 ka BP in the termination of late-Pleistocene. One human right upper P4 (WJD-H4) was discovered in 2016 from the disturbed layer. In the present paper, we described in detail followed by comparison with modern and fossil humans in dental measurements and morphological traits. The crown size, mesial-distal length 6.9 mm, buccal-lingual width 10.8 mm, is within the range of modern Chinese. However, the buccal-lingual width is much wider at the superior limit of modern humans, also larger than the superior limit of early modern humans within east Asia and comparable to some middle Pleistocene fossils from China. The morphology study indicates the mosaic of its modern and primitive traits. The occlusal enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) is relatively simple without accessory ridges, and a single root with Vertucci Type I canal is common within the modern population. Considering the geological background of this site, WJD-H4 would represent members of early modern humans. However, several primitive traits are present, such as buccal triangular swelling, cingulum, buccal and lingual vertical grooves in the crown of outer enamel surface (OES) and EDJ, swelling in the middle of the root, and those are quite common in middle Pleistocene hominins. Especially, lingual vertical grooves are the first case in the late Pleistocene specimen in China. Marginal accessory tubercles were presented in WJD-H4 as well, a medium high-frequently regional trait in the modern populations in East Asia. In conclusion, the human upper premolar morphology from the Weijiadong cave site indicates the mosaic evolution of early modern humans in the Late Pleistocene.

Key words: Paleoanthropology, Premolar, Non-metric traits, Late Pleistocene, Mosaic Evolution

CLC Number:

Q983

GUO Lin, ZHAO Lingxia, ZHENG Yuanwen, ZHANG Lizhao, DU Baopu, DAI Li, CAI Huiyang, WANG Xinjin. Mosaic dental morphology of a newly discovered human upper premolar and AMS ¹⁴C dating of the Weijiadong cave site in Guizhou province, South China[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2021, 40(06): 931-942.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig.1 Plan view of the Weijiadong cave and its geographical location in Guizhou province

Fig.4 Human teeth discovered from the Weijiadong cave site

Fig.2 Stratigraphic section A-A’ of T2 of the Weijiadong cave site

Tab.1 The 14C Dating results from T2 and T3 section of the Weijiadong cave site

样品Sample	实验室号No.	深度Depth (cm)	材料Materials	校正年代Age(BP cal)
1	Beta-515830	30	炭屑	13036~12808
2	Beta-515316	45	炭屑	17541~17174
3	Beta-507541	65	炭屑	18772~18519
4	Beta-515317	80	炭屑	19568~19239
5	Beta-507543	85	炭屑	20485~20065
6	Beta-515831	110	炭屑	20493~20096
7	Beta-507548	30	骨胶原	27592~27177
8	Beta-507547	30	炭屑	27735~27390

Fig.3 Stratigraphic section B-B’ of T3

Fig.5 OES, EDJ and pulp cavity in right P4 WJD-H4 from Weijiadong cave, reconstructed by Micro-CT scan and Mimics 19.0

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Mosaic dental morphology of a newly discovered human upper premolar and AMS ¹⁴C dating of the Weijiadong cave site in Guizhou province, South China

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