Epiphyseal union and dental eruption in <i>Macaca mulatta</i>

Abstract

Age of dental eruption and epiphyseal fusion is estimated for the permanent dentition and long bone epiphyses of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), with 299 skeletons of individuals with known age of death, from the Cayo Santiago skeletal collection. Epiphyses at a given joint tend to have the same time. While males and females tend to have the same pattern of epiphyseal fusion, females' epiphyses fuse earlier than those of malep rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), with 299 skeletons of individuals with known age of death, from the Cayo Santiago skeletal collection. Epiphyses at a given joint tend to have the same time. While males and females tend to have the same pattern of epiphyseal fusion, females' epiphyses fuse earlier than those of males, especially at the elbow and knee joints. The order of epiphyseal fusion in rhesus macaques follows the general primate pattern. Times of dental eruption for males and females are generally the same, except for the relatively late eruption of the canine in the males. The order of eruption follows a common primate pattern (dm2-M1-I1-I2-M2-(P3, P4)-C-M3). Multiple regressions were calculated in order to allow determination of developmental state, or predictions of chronological age, from epiphyseal fusion and/or dental eruption scores in juvenile rhesus macaques. Standard deviations of residuals from these regressions indicate considerable variation in developmental state among animals of the same chronological age. The lack of correlation between residuals from the separate skeletal and dental regressions, indicates that skeletal and dental development are largely independent.