A shared pattern of midfacial bone modelling in hominids suggests deep evolutionary roots for human facial morphogenesis

Midfacial morphology varies between hominoids, in particular between great apes and humans for which the face is small and retracted. The underlying developmental processes for these morphological differences are still largely unknown. Here we investigate the cellular mechanism of maxillary development (bone modelling), and how potential changes in this process may have shaped facial evolution. We analysed cross-sectional developmental series of gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees and present-day humans (N=183). Individuals were organized into five age groups according to their dental development. To visualize each species’ bone modelling pattern and corresponding morphology during ontogeny, maps based on microscopic data were mapped onto species-specific age group average shapes obtained using geometric morphometrics. The amount of bone resorption was quantified and compared between species. Great apes share a highly similar bone modelling pattern, whereas gibbons have a distinc..., Microscopic data on bone modeling patterns are collected from the maxillary bones of each species. Geometric morphometric techniques are used to obtain species-specific average shapes for each age group. Maps based on microscopic data are overlaid onto the species-specific average shapes to visualize bone modeling patterns and corresponding morphological changes during ontogeny. The amount of bone resorption is quantified and compared between species., , # A shared pattern of midfacial bone modelling in hominids suggests deep evolutionary roots for human facial morphogenesis

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.000000094](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.000000094)

## Description of the data and file structure

The data made available for this study consist of the following:

* The database containing information on each individual (reference number, collection, age group (AG), sex, and analyses performed (microscopic analysis (BM) and/or geometric morphometric (GM) analysis)

* ***Database_Schuhetal.xlsx***
* Species: name of the species
* REF: reference number
* Collection: place where the material is stored
* AG: age group (1 = newborns; 2 = deciduous dentition developing; 3 = M1 in occlusion; 4 = M2 in occlusion; 5 = M3 in occlusion)
* Sex: M = male, F = female, Unk = unknown
* CT or Surface scan used for an individual
* Taken for microscopic analysis (BM): wheth...