Ancestry assessments in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology are best analyzed with population-specific methods. Through population-specific ancestry methods, the generalized Native American/Asian ancestry category can be better refined to reflect the diversity of Native American and Asiatic people. Individuals from modern (~1900 to present) Seminole Native American and Japanese populations, housed at The Ohio State University and Jikei University in Tokyo, respectively, reflect a relatively unbiased population sample, as demographics range from juveniles to adults, with both sexes being equally represented. This broad sampling of individuals from the Florida Seminole group and the greater Tokyo region enables researchers to explore the degree of variation between the Seminole and Japanese groups, as can be demonstrated osteologically. Dentitions are an ideal candidate to measure intra-population variability due to heritabilities of both their tooth size and dental morphological characteristics within populations. In an attempt to better understand the variation between Native American and Asian populations, observations of Seminole and Japanese-specific dental morphology and tooth dimensions were recorded from 281 individuals using the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS) and mesiodistal and buccolingual measurements, respectively. Significant differences, indicated by a p-value ≤ 0.05, were identified between the Seminole and Japanese groups in the analysis of morphological dental traits and odontometrics. Nineteen statistically significant morphological traits that differed in expression between the two sampled groups were identified, with eight traits being more present in the Seminole group than the Japanese group, whereas eleven traits being more present in the Japanese group than the Seminole group. Linear regression (LRA) and discriminant function analyses equations were developed from three sets of odontometric datasets; the raw, unaltered collected data, the general measurement mean dataset which supplements missing variables, and the ancestry-specific measurement mean data set which supplements missing variables. Both the linear regression and discriminant function models demonstrated success in classifying the Seminole and Japanese groups. The LRA equations presented classification rates higher than chance (81.5-90.4%). Twenty-three DFA equations were developed, ranging in successful classification rates of 61.5% to 100.0%. The ancestry-specific measurement mean dataset performed the best in both the LRA and DFA models. The results of this study indicate that morphological trait observations and odontometric analyses can be useful tools in the differentiation of Native American and Asian populations, as differences between subgroups of these populations (Seminole and Japanese) were identified. These differences are likely due to the homogeneous and insular composition of both sampled populations. Further analysis of the statistically significant morphological traits identified in the current study and continued testing of more subpopulations of Native American and Asian populations will not only aid in ancestry estimations in forensic and bioarchaeology research, but also in the cessation of grouping Native American and Asian individuals under one category.

Ancestry estimation for Hispanic Americans is increasing in importance as this minority population increases in the United States. Hispanics are historically an admixture of various geographic populations including European, Native American, and African. This combination of genes has caused many intermediate skeletal features that make identification of Hispanics a complicated process, especially when compared to Native Americans. "Hispanic" cannot efficiently encompass, as a term, the genotypic composition of multiple populations, as Hispanics from the Southwestern United States are historically a combination of Native American and European genes, whereas those from the Caribbean are historically an admixture of Native American, European, and African genes. While each of these regions can exhibit a certain combination of all three of these ancestral populations, each region has experienced a characteristic frequency of admixture. Southwest Hispanic populations are genotypically and phenotypically primarily comprised of Native American and European genes, resulting in an intermediate skeletal composition that prevents the distinct ancestry discrimination attainable by broad geographic groups. Previous dental morphological studies (Edgar 2013) have also presented results of intermediacy and particular difficulty separating these individuals from Native American and Asian groups; however, metric studies of the dentition of this population have yet to be investigated. Data were collected from n=569 dental casts from the James K. Economides collection which is housed at the Maxwell Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Measurements included were the mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions of the polar teeth of the morphogenetic field theory and the width and depth of the mandibular and maxillary arches. The morphogenetic field theory, as developed by Butler (1939) and adapted by Dahlberg (1945), represent the most stable teeth of the four fields of the dentition - incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. These "polar" teeth exhibit the least variation in crown size and shape. Significant differences were identified between ancestry groups and these were subsequently used to identify allocation rates between all groups and between particular sets, or groups, of ancestries. Discriminant function equations were developed as a tool for ancestry estimation. Success was greatest when both dental crown and arcade variables were pooled together in an analysis. Results of this study indicate odontometric analyses are useful in differentiating between Native Americans and European Americans, with classification rates ranging between 75.2% and 86.3%; however, much work must be conducted before application on Hispanic populations is possible. The Southwest Hispanic population exhibited greater phenotypic similarity to the European American population and had significantly lower success in allocation than between Southwest Hispanics and Native Americans. In cases where sex was known, successful allocation decreased, although females generally exhibited greater success than males. Potential utility is observed in this study when sex is unknown, and the development of a statistical methodology utilizing the dentition is proposed.

This study examined the amount of European genetic admixture in the enslaved African population from Newton Plantation, Barbados. Newton Plantation was a British sugar plantation from the 17th to 19th centuries. Approximately 150 individuals were recovered from an unmarked slave cemetery during archaeological investigations in the 1970s and 1990s. Using maximum mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth measurements of the available teeth from the individuals in the cemetery, Newton was compared to nineteen comparative samples of African, European, African American and European American populations that date from the time of British colonization to the 20th century. Previous European admixture estimations in the Newton Plantation cemetery sample were 5-10% (Corruccini et al., 1982; Ritter, 1991); this study found similar rates of admixture in the population (5.38-10.25%). Because of social practices in the Caribbean during the time of slavery, European admixture could have resulted in preferential treatment of slaves with such genetic background.

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Objectives: This article provides estimates of narrow-sense heritability and genetic pleiotropy for mesiodistal tooth dimensions for a sample of 20th century African American individuals. Results inform biological distance analysis and offer insights into patterns of integration in the human dentition. Materials and Methods: Maximum mesiodistal crown dimensions were measured using Hillson-FitzGerald calipers on 469 stone dental casts from the Menegaz-Bock Collection. Narrow-sense heritability estimates and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated using SOLAR 8.1.1 with covariate screening for age, sex, age*sex interaction, and birth year. Results: Heritability estimates were moderate (∼0.10 – 0.90; h2 mean = 0.51) for most measured variables with sex as the only significant covariate. Patterns of genetic correlation indicate strong integration across tooth classes, except molars. Comparison of these results to previously published work suggests lower overall heritability relative to other human populations and much stronger genetic integration across tooth classes than obtained from nonhuman primate genetic pleiotropy estimates. Conclusions: These results suggest that the high heritabilities previously published may reflect overestimates inherent in previous study designs; as such the standard estimate of 0.55 used in biodistance analyses may not be appropriate. For the Gullah, isolation and endogamy coupled with elevated levels of physiological and economic stress may suppress narrow-sense heritability estimates. Pleiotropy analyses suggest a more highly integrated dentition in humans than in other mammals.

Sex determination in human skeletal remains is difficult under the most ideal circumstances; however, in juvenile skeletal remains it is nearly impossible. Currently no accepted techniques exist to identify the biological sex of the juvenile skeleton, other than, when possible, DNA. Thus, developing an accessible and non-destructive technique would benefit both the field of Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology. The ability to provide a quick and accurate determination of sex would greatly expedite the identification process in any case where juvenile skeletal remains are involved. This project aims to establish an accessible and non-destructive method for determining the sex of juvenile skeletal remains using deciduous (primary/baby) dentition. This research is focused on the deciduous dentition as they form early during growth and development, and previous research has demonstrated that secondary (adult) dentition exhibit sexual dimorphism. Samples of known sex individuals (n= 12: 7 female, 5 male, 45 total teeth) have been collected by donation. Using a novel approach, physical and radiograph, measurements of overall tooth and internal structure dimensions were completed on all samples. Comparative statistical analyses are used to determine if significant sexual dimorphism exists. Results indicate that marked (4-10%) sexual dimorphism does exist in the overall size of deciduous dentition; however, it cannot be assumed that males are larger in all tooth structures. Results suggest that while males do have larger central incisors and canines, their lateral incisors have smaller measurements than females. The variance in tooth structure dimensions will allow the creation of methodology to determine the sex when the majority of dentition is present.