The addition of a hypocone, a fourth cusp, to the upper molar in mammals has been a common transition in dental evolution. Using suborder Microchiroptera (microbats) as a case study, the proposed research will examine the adaptive significance of the hypocone. This research will test whether the hypocone functions to increase tooth strength, by dissipating stress within the enamel to avoid tooth cracking. Finite Element Analysis, a computer simulation technique commonly used in engineering to assess how structures respond to physical loads, will be used to determine the strength attributes of teeth with and without hypocones. Ultimately, this work will examine how the hypocone?s role in tooth strength may have influenced the evolution of molar shape.
This project uses innovative computer modeling techniques to examine adaptation, a fundamental evolutionary concept. Facets of this work are applicable throughout the scientific community (from paleontologists studying the form and function of fossils to ecologists studying mammalian diversity patterns). Further, an understanding of adaptation is vital for anyone wanting to know how life has evolved. This work will encourage undergraduate participation in scientific research. All computer models will be submitted to the Morphobrowser and Digimorph online databases to allow access to both the scientific community and the public.
