Imbricational enamel formation in Neandertals and recent modern humans.

Aspects of imbricational enamel growth are important for two reasons. First, they may be species-typical, providing insight into taxonomic questions. Second, because dental and somatic growth are linked, aspects of imbricational enamel growth may also provide insights into species-typical rates of growth and development. The present study investigates aspects of imbricational enamel formation in Neandertal anterior teeth relative to three modern human population samples from diverse regions (Point Hope, Alaska; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; Southern Africa). A recent study by the same authors (Guatelli-Steinberg et al., 2005) focuses on evaluating how different Neandertals were from these modern human populations in the number of [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]