Size of the anterior fontanelle: Three-dimensional measurement of a key trait in human evolution

Anatomical Record

Volumn 297, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 234-239

  Moffett, Elizabeth A ^a   Aldridge, Kristina ^a  

^a University of Missouri   (United States)

Author keywords

Computed tomography; Craniofacial development; Fontanelle; Human evolution

Indexed keywords

ANTERIOR FONTANEL; ARTICLE; COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANNER; COMPUTER ASSISTED TOMOGRAPHY; EVOLUTION; FOSSIL HUMAN; FUNCTIONAL NEUROIMAGING; HUMAN; INFANT; MEASUREMENT ACCURACY; MEASUREMENT REPEATABILITY; ORGAN SIZE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; SKULL DEVELOPMENT; SURFACE PROPERTY; THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGING;

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY; CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT; FONTANELLE; HUMAN EVOLUTION;

ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE; ANIMALS; BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION; CRANIAL FONTANELLES; FOSSILS; HOMINIDAE; HUMANS; IMAGING, THREE-DIMENSIONAL;

EID: 84892675980     PISSN: 19328486     EISSN: 19328494     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/ar.22830     Document Type: Article

References (51)

1. Abitbol MM. 1993. Adjustment of the fetal head and adult pelvis in modern humans. Hum Evol 8:167-185.
2. Acheson RM, Jefferson E. 1954. Some observations on the closure of the anterior fontanelle. Arch Dis Child 29:196-198.
3. Aisenson MR. 1950. Closing of the anterior fontanelle. Pediatrics 6:223-226.
4. Aldridge K, Boyadjiev SA, Capone GT, DeLeon VB, Richtsmeier JT. 2005. Precision and error of three-dimensional phenotypic measures acquired from 3dMD photogrammetric images. Am J Med Genet 138A:247-253.
5. Athreya S. 2012. The frontal bone in the genus Homo: a survey of functional and phylogenetic sources of variation. J Anthropol Sci 90:1-22.
6. Bookstein F, Schäfer K, Prossinger H, Seidler H, Fieder M, Stringer C, Weber GW, Arsuaga J-L, Slice DE, Rohlf FJ, Recheis W, Mariam AJ, Marcus LF. 1999. Comparing frontal cranial profiles in archaic and modern Homo by morphometric analysis. Anat Rec 257:217-224.
7. Campbell B. 1966. Human Evolution. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.
8. Chaoui R, Levaillant JM, Benoit B, Faro C, Wegrzyn P, Nicolaides KH. 2005. Three-dimensional sonographic description of abnormal metopic suture in second- and third- trimester fetuses. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 26:761-764.
9. Cohen MM, MacLean RE. 2000. Craniosynostosis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
10. Collins DL, Holmes CJ, Peters TM, Evans AC. 1995. Automatic 3-D model-based neuroanatomical segmentation. Hum Brain Mapp 3:190-208.
11. Coqueugniot H, Hublin JJ, Veillon F, Houet F, Jacob T. 2004. Early brain growth in Homo erectus and implications for cognitive ability. Nature 431:299-302.
12. Dart RA. 1925. Australopithecus africanus: the man-ape of South Africa. Nature 115:195-199.
13. Davies DP, Ansari BM, Cooke TJ. 1975. Anterior fontanelle size in the neonate. Arch Dis Child 50:81-83.
14. Dechant JJ, Mooney MP, Cooper GM, Smith TD, Losken HW, Mathijssen IMJ, Siegel MI. 1999. Positional changes in the frontoparietal ossification centers in perinatal craniosynostotic rabbits. J Craniofac Genet Dev Biol 19:64-74.
15. Dolan KJ. 1971. Cranial suture closure in two species of South American monkeys. Am J Anat 35:109-117.
16. Dubowitz LM, Dubowitz V, Goldberg C. 1970. Clinical assessment of gestational age in the newborn infant. J Pediatr 77:1-10.
17. Duc G, Largo RH. 1986. Anterior fontanelle: size and closure in term and preterm infants. Pediatrics 78:904-908.
18. Dunsworth HM, Warrener AG, Deacon T, Ellison PT, Pontzer H. 2012. Metabolic hypothesis for human altriciality. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:15212-15216.
19. Faix RG. 1982. Fontanelle size in black and white term newborn infants. J Pediatr 100:304-306.
20. Falk D, Zollikofer CPE, Morimoto N, Ponce de Leon MS. 2012. Metopic suture of Taung (Australopithecus africanus) and its implications for hominin brain evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:8467-8470.
21. Faro C, Benoit B, Wegrzyn P, Chaoui R, Nicolaides KH. 2005. Three-dimensional sonographic description of the fetal frontal bones and metopic suture. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 26:618-621.
22. Faro C, Chaoui R, Wegrzyn P, Levaillant JM, Benoit B, Nicolaides KH. 2006. Metopic suture in fetuses with Apert syndrome at 22-27 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 27:28-33.
23. Freidline SE, Gunz P, Harvati K, Hublin JJ. 2012a. Middle Pleistocene human facial morphology in an evolutionary and developmental context. J Hum Evol 63:723-740.
24. Freidline SE, Gunz P, Janković I, Harvati K, Hublin JJ. 2012b. A comprehensive morphometric analysis of the frontal and zygomatic bone of the Zuttiyeh fossil from Israel. J Hum Evol 62:225-241.
25. Gunz P, Bulygina E. 2012. The Mousterian child from Teshik-Tash is a Neanderthal: a geometric morphometric study of the frontal bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 149:365-379.
26. Jiang X, Iseki S, Maxson RE, Sucov HM, Morriss-Kay GM. 2002. Tissue origins and interactions in the mammalian skull vault. Dev Biol 241:106-116.
27. Kiesler J, Ricer R. 2003. The abnormal fontanel. Am Fam Phys 67:2547-2552.
28. Kohn L, Cheverud J. 1992. Calibration, validation, and evaluation of scanning systems: anthropometric imaging system repeatability. Vannier MW, Yates RE, Whitestone JJ, editors. Electronic Imaging of the Human Body. Proceedings of a working group. Dayton, OH: Crew System Ergonomics Information Center. p 114-123.
29. Kreiborg S, Marsh JL, Cohen MM, Jr., Liversage M, Pedersen H, Skovby F, Børgesen SE, Vannier MW. 1993. Comparative three-dimensional analysis of CT-scans of the calvaria and cranial base in Apert and Crouzon syndromes. J Craniomaxillofac Surg 21:181-188.
30. Lacruz RS, Ramirez Rossi FR, Bromage TG. 2005. Dental enamel hypoplasia, age at death, and weaning in the Taung child. S Afr J Sci 101:567-569.
31. Lindburg DG. 1982. Primate obstetrics: the biology of birth. Am J Primatol 3:193-199.
32. Malas MA, Sulak O. 2000. Measurements of anterior fontanelle during the fetal period. J Obstet Gynaecol 20:601-605.
33. Martin RD. 1983. Human Brain Evolution in an Ecological Context. New York: American Museum of Natural History.
34. Mathijssen IMJ, van Splunder J, Vermeij-Keers C, Pieterman H, de Jong THR, Mooney MP, Vaandrager JM. 1999. Tracing craniosynostosis to its developmental stage through bone center development. J Craniofac Genet Dev Biol 19:57-63.
35. McHenry HM. 1975. Biomechanical interpretation of the early hominid hip. J Hum Evol 4:343-355.
36. Paladini D, Sglavo G, Penner G, Pastore G, Nappi C. 2007. Fetuses with Down syndrome have an enlarged anterior fontanelle in the second trimester of pregnancy. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 30:824-829.
37. Paladini D, Vassallo M, Sglavo G, Pastore G, Lapadula C, Nappi C. 2008. Normal and abnormal development of the fetal anterior fontanelle: a three-dimensional ultrasound study. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 32:755-761.
38. Philip AG. 1978. Fetal growth retardation: femurs, fontanels, and follow-up. Pediatrics 62:446-453.
39. Pinkerton JH. 1973. Some aspects of the evolution and comparative anatomy of the human pelvis. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw 80:97-102.
40. Popich GA, Smith DW. 1972. Fontanels: range of normal size. J Pediatr 80:749-752.
41. Rosenberger AL, Pagano AS. 2008. Frontal fusion: collapse of another anthropoid synapomorphy. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 291:308-317.
42. Schultz AH. 1923. Bregmatic fontanelle bones in mammals. J Mammal 4:65-77.
43. Schultz AH. 1936. Characters common to higher primates and characters specific for man. Q Rev Biol 11:425-455.
44. Schultz AH. 1969. The life of primates. New York: Universe Books.
45. Shapiro D, Richtsmeier JT. 1997. Brief communication: a sample of pediatric skulls available for study. Am J Phys Anthropol 103:415-416.
46. Smith DW, Popich G. 1972. Large fontanels in congenital hypothyroidism: a potential clue toward earlier recognition. J Pediatr 80:753-756.
47. Tague RG. 2012. Small anatomical variant has profound implications for evolution of human birth and brain development. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:8360-8361.
48. Tague RG, Lovejoy CO. 1986. The obstetric pelvis of A.L. 288-1 (Lucy). J Hum Evol 15:237-255.
49. Washburn SL. 1950. The analysis of primate evolution with particular reference to the origin of man. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 15:67-78.
50. Washburn SL. 1960. Tools and human evolution. Sci Am 203:63-75.
51. Zihlman A. 1978. Interpretations of early hominid locomotion. Jolly CJ, editor. Early hominids in Africa. London: Duckworth. p 361-377.