Justin A Ledogar

• PhD - University at Albany
• Professor (Assistant) at East Tennessee State University

Pitheciines (Pithecia, Chiropotes, and Cacajao) are a specialized clade of Neotropical seed predators that exhibit postcanine teeth with low and rounded cusps and highly crenulated occlusal surface enamel. Data on feeding ecology show that Pithecia consumes proportionally more leaves than other pitheciine species, and comparative studies demonstrat...

Australopithecus sediba has been hypothesized to be a close relative of the genus Homo. Here we show that MH1, the type specimen of A. sediba, was not optimized to produce high molar bite force and appears to have been limited in its ability to consume foods that were mechanically challenging to eat. Dental microwear data have previously been inter...

The evolution of the modern human ( Homo sapiens ) cranium is characterized by a reduction in the size of the feeding system, including reductions in the size of the facial skeleton, postcanine teeth, and the muscles involved in biting and chewing. The conventional view hypothesizes that gracilization of the human feeding system is related to a shi...

We analyzed feeding biomechanics in pitheciine monkeys (Pithecia, Chiropotes, Cacajao), a clade that specializes on hard-husked unripe fruit (sclerocarpy) and resistant seeds (seed predation). We tested the hypothesis that pitheciine crania are well-suited to generate and withstand forceful canine and molar biting, with the prediction that they gen...

Australopiths, a group of hominins from the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa, are characterized by derived traits in their crania hypothesized to strengthen the facial skeleton against feeding loads and increase the efficiency of bite force production. The crania of robust australopiths are further thought to be stronger and more efficient than those of...

The divergence of Homo from gracile australopiths has been described as a trend of decreasing dentognathic size and robusticity, precipitated by stone tool use and/or a shift to softer foods, including meat. Yet, mechanical evidence supporting this narrative is sparse, and isotopic and archaeological data have led to the suggestion that a shift awa...

Potoroid marsupials (bettongs and potoroos of the family Potoroidae) are considered ecosystem engineers because of the roles they play in maintaining biodiversity. However, severe declines since European arrival have necessitated intense conservation efforts. Vital to these efforts is an understanding of the physical challenges that define their ni...

There is controversy around the mechanisms that guided the change in brain shape during the evolution of modern humans. It has long been held that different cortical areas evolved independently from each other to develop their unique functional specializations. However, some recent studies suggest that high integration between different cortical ar...

Cleft palate is a common birth defect, requiring interventions that must be timed according to maxillary growth and patients often require multiple procedures to repair an alveolar cleft defect. Mechanical variables, such as pre‐surgical defect shape and size, have been suggested to affect the success of surgical repair, but the biomechanical conse...

The extinct Haast's eagle or harpagornis ( Hieraaetus moorei ) is the largest known eagle. Historically, it was first considered a predator, then a scavenger, but most recent authors have favoured an active hunting ecology. However, the veracity of proposed similarities to carrion feeders has not been thoroughly tested. To infer feeding capability...

Homo floresiensis is a small-bodied hominin from Flores, Indonesia, that exhibits plesiomorphic dentognathic features, including large premolars and a robust mandible, aspects of which have been considered australopith-like. However, relative to australopith species, H. floresiensis exhibits reduced molar size and a cranium with diminutive midfacia...

Paranthropus robustus is a small-brained extinct hominin from South Africa characterized by derived, robust craniodental morphology. The most complete known skull of this species is DNH 7 from Drimolen Main Quarry, which differs from P. robustus specimens recovered elsewhere in ways attributed to sexual dimorphism. Here, we describe a new fossil sp...

Large brains are a defining feature of primates, as is a clear allometric trend between body mass and brain size. However, important questions on the macroevolution of brain shape in primates remain unanswered. Here we address two: (i), does the relationship between the brain size and its shape follow allometric trends and (ii), is this relationshi...

Interspecific variation in the craniofacial morphology of kangaroos and wallabies is associated with diet and feeding behaviors. Yet, to how fine a taxonomic scale this relationship might exist is unknown. Using a combination of established morphometric analyses and novel finite element approaches, we test the limits of these associations by examin...

Certain features of both extant and fossil anthropoid primates have been interpreted as adaptations to ripe fruit foraging and feeding particularly spatulate incisors and trichro-matic color vision. Here, we approach the question of anthropoid fruit foraging adaptations in light of the sensory and mechanical properties of anthropoid-consumed fruits...

Objectives: The basicranium and face are two integrated bony structures displaying great morphological diversity across primates. Previous studies in hominids determined that the basicranium is composed of two independent modules: the midline basicranium, mostly influenced by brain size, and the lateral basicranium, predominantly associated with f...

Most birds of prey (raptors), rely heavily on their talons for capturing prey. However, the relationship between talon shape and the ability to take prey is poorly understood. In this study we investigate whether raptor talons have evolved primarily in response to adaptive pressures exerted by different dietary demands, or if talon morphology is la...

The biology of the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is well documented-including its dietary habits, particularly the ability to crush shell with gnathobasic walking appendages-but virtually nothing is known about the feeding biomechanics of this iconic arthropod. Limulus polyphemus is also considered the archetypal functional analogue...

In this contribution we present a virtual reconstruction of the H. floresiensis holotype (LB1) cranium using state of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) digital modelling and GM methods.

Increasing body size is accompanied by facial elongation across a number of mammalian taxa. This trend forms the basis of a proposed evolutionary rule, cranial evolutionary allometry (CREA). However, facial length has also been widely associated with the varying mechanical resistance of foods. Here, we combine geometric morphometrics and computatio...

Three adaptive hypotheses have been forwarded to explain the distinctive Neanderthal face: (i) an improved ability to accommodate high anterior bite forces, (ii) more effective conditioning of cold and/or dry air and, (iii) adaptation to facilitate greater ventilatory demands. We test these hypotheses using three-dimensional models of Neanderthals,...

The basicranium and facial skeleton are two integrated structures displaying great morphological diversity across primates. Previous studies focusing on limited taxonomic samples have demonstrated that morphological integration has a significant impact on the evolution of these structures. However, this influence is still poorly understood. A more...

There is a considerable cranial morphological diversity across the nearly 500 species of extant primates. Much of this variation is located in the basicranium and in the facial skeleton. Previous studies focusing on limited taxonomic samples demonstrated that morphological integration has a significant influence on the evolution of these structures...

Australopiths exhibit a number of derived facial features that are thought to strengthen the face against high and/or repetitive loads associated with a diet that included mechanically challenging foods. Here, we use finite element analysis (FEA) to test hypotheses related to the purported strengthening role of the zygomatic root and “anterior pill...

The craniofacial skeleton is often described in the clinical literature as being comprised of vertical bony pillars, which transmit forces from the toothrow to the neurocranium as axial compressive stresses, reinforced transversely by buttresses. Here, we review the literature on bony microarchitecture, in vivo bone strain, and finite-element model...

The internal and external anatomy of the primate zygoma is central to orofacial function, health, and disease. The importance of variation in its gross morphology across extinct and extant primate forms has been established using finite element analysis, but its internal structure has yet to be explored. In this study, mCT is used to characterize t...

Supplementary Methods.

Strain and strain energy density results from simulated premolar bites. Maximum principal strain (MaxPrin), minimum principal strain (MinPrin), strain mode (Mode), maximum shear strain (Shear), von Mises strain, and strain energy density (SED) generated during simulated premolar (P3) biting in the ALL-HUM variants of “extreme” and “average” modern...

Principal strain orientations recorded during validation analysis: Sites 1, 2, and 3. Purple lines represent the orientation of minimum principal strain (compression), which is 90° to orientation of maximum principal strain. Black circles represent location of strain gages at the dorsal interorbital (site 1), working-side dorsal orbital (site 2), a...

Principal strain orientations recorded during validation analysis: Sites 4, 6, and 13. Blue lines represent the orientation of maximum principal strain (tension). Purple lines represent the orientation of minimum principal strain (compression), which is 90° to orientation of maximum principal strain. Black circles represent location of strain gages...

Cortical bone mechanical properties collected from two cadaveric human specimens. E3 and v23 refer to the elastic (Young’s) modulus and Poisson’s ratio in the axis of maximum stiffness, respectively. For modulus, factor and temperature data were used to distribute regionally variation mechanical properties throughout each of the ALL-HUM models (see...

Strain and strain energy density results from simulated molar bites. Maximum principal strain (MaxPrin), minimum principal strain (MinPrin), strain mode (Mode), maximum shear strain (Shear), von Mises strain, and strain energy density (SED) generated during simulated molar (M2) biting in the ALL-HUM variants of “extreme” and “average” modern human...

In vitro loading of human cranium. Illustration of the loading apparatus constructed for the current analysis within the INSTRON loading machine during loading of the left P3.

Principal strain orientations recorded during validation analysis: Sites 9 and 11. Blue lines represent the orientation of maximum principal strain (tension). Purple lines represent the orientation of minimum principal strain (compression), which is 90° to orientation of maximum principal strain. Black circles represent location of strain gages at...

The GRGL finite element model showing constraints and muscle loads applied following Wroe et al. (2010). We compared two variants of this “beamed” model to our original “boneloaded” model, one that only included muscle beams for the anterior temporalis, superficial masseter, deep masseter, and medial pterygoid muscles (A) and a second that also inc...

Results of sensitivity analysis: color maps of von Mises strain magnitudes. Panels show strain distributions during premolar (P3) biting in the (A) original “boneloaded” ALL-HUM model, (B) “beamed” model lacking a posterior temporalis, and (C) “beamed” model including a posterior temporalis. Scales are set to range from 0–300 μɛ White regions excee...

Beam forces used in sensitivity analysis. Total muscle forces, beam count, and force per beam for each muscle group assigned to the GRGL model in the sensitivity analysis. Forces are in Newtons (N).

Transparent view of the model under in vitro validation. The surface model is shown in the position it was constrained during muscle loading, as in Fig. S1.

Principal strain orientations recorded during validation analysis: Sites 8, 10, and 12 strain. Blue lines represent the orientation of maximum principal strain (tension). Purple lines represent the orientation of minimum principal strain (compression), which is 90° to orientation of maximum principal strain. Black circles represent location of stra...

Principal strain orientations recorded during validation analysis: Sites 5, 7, and 14. Blue lines represent the orientation of maximum principal strain (tension). Purple lines represent the orientation of minimum principal strain (compression), which is 90° to orientation of maximum principal strain. Black circles represent location of strain gages...

Results of sensitivity analysis: line plot of von Mises strain. Plot shows the microstrain generated during simulated premolar (P3) biting, recorded from 14 identical brick elements across the craniofacial skeletons of our original “boneloaded” model, a “beamed” variant with muscle forces and constraints modeled following Wroe et al. (2010), and a...

Supplementary Figures 1-6, Supplementary Tables 1-4 and Supplementary Reference

A wealth of research on primate feeding supports the hypothesis that fused mandibular symphyses, ubiquitous among anthropoids, strengthen the joint against “wishboning” stresses that occur as a result of transversely-oriented muscle forces. However, in mammals that include extensive transverse occlusal movements, fusion has been suggested to increa...

The zygomatic region and lateral orbital wall are important structural components of the primate craniofacial skeleton, providing attachment for muscles, housing and protecting the eye, and resisting and transmitting forces incurred during feeding and fighting. The design of this region must therefore meet the needs of a number of different functio...

In a broad range of evolutionary studies, an understanding of intraspecific variation is needed in order to contextualize and interpret the meaning of variation between species. However, mechanical analyses of primate crania using experimental or modeling methods typically encounter logistical constraints that force them to rely on data gathered fr...

The African Plio-Pleistocene hominins known as australopiths evolved derived craniodental features frequently interpreted as adaptations for feeding on either hard, or compliant/tough foods. Among australopiths, Paranthropus boisei is the most robust form, exhibiting traits traditionally hypothesized to produce high bite forces efficiently and stre...

Dental topographic analysis is the quantitative assessment of shape of three-dimensional models of tooth crowns and component features. Molar topographic curvature, relief, and complexity correlate with aspects of feeding behavior in certain living primates, and have been employed to investigate dietary ecology in extant and extinct primate species...

Recent biomechanical analyses examining the feeding adaptations of early hominins have yielded results consistent with the hypothesis that hard foods exerted a selection pressure that influenced the evolution of australopith morphology. However, this hypothesis appears inconsistent with recent reconstructions of early hominin diet based on dental m...

The craniofacial morphology of Paranthropus boisei exhibits a number of highly derived characteristics that have been argued to be functionally related to feeding. These features are hypothesized to either decrease structural stress, increase the mechanical advantage of the masticatory muscles, or both. But complications arise when the constrained...

Diamond (Assembly of species communities. In: Cody ML, Diamond JM, editors. Ecology and evolution of communities. Cambridge: Belknap. p 342-444 (1975)) argued that interspecific competition between species occupying similar niches results in a nonrandom pattern of species distributions. In particular, some species pairs may never be found in the sa...