EVALUATING THE DUAL SELECTION HYPOTHESIS OF CANINE REDUCTION

A recently proposed model for canine reduction in hominid evolution (t he ''dual selection'' model) suggests that canine reduction occurs as a result of selection for incorporation of the canines into a function al incisal field. Among the evidence used to support this model are pa tterns of wear and occlusion of the canine teeth, particularly in fema le anthropoid primates. We examined wear and occlusal patterns of the canine teeth of 311 male and female anthropoid primates. We find no ev idence that the canines are typically occluded tip-to-tip, or that the y show wear patterns indicating a ''gripping and pulling'' function du ring food ingestion and processing. Furthermore, we do not find compel ling evidence that the development of the mesial cristid is associated with canine reduction. While we agree that the mechanisms of selectiv e pressures underlying canine reduction need to be investigated, the ' 'dual selection'' hypothesis is unsupported by comparative data. (C) 1 996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.