Mesial Margin Ridging of Incisor Labial Surfaces

¹ Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

A previously undescribed morphological character is reported upon which has been observed to be present on the mesial-labial aspect of 24 incisor teeth of 13 prehistoric Point of Pines Indians from east-central Arizona. This represents an incidence of 6.5 per cent of the 200 individuals in the sample of 350 from this population from which incisor teeth were recovered. Although only the phenotypic aspects of this character have been discussed, mesial margin ridging of incisor teeth may offer one additional trait useful for genetic differentiation of populations. Future investigations of the incidence of this trait in various populations, coupled with pedigree studies, may aid in clarification of the mode of inheritance of this dental structure.