Differences in Dental Size Among the Indigenous Population of the Canary Islands

Abstract

Nonmetric dental traits and odontometrics have demonstrated that pre-European populations of the Canarian archipelago are closely related to Northwest Africans, revealing varying degrees of interisland diversity. However, a comprehensive study of differences across various islands has not yet been conducted. This study aims to analyze the differences in dental size among the island populations of the Canary Islands during the indigenous period. The mesiodistal (MD) and buccolingual (BL) diameters, along with the geometric mean of the permanent teeth (I1-M2), were measured in 347 adult individuals from each of the Canary Islands, excluding Lanzarote. Statistical analyses were performed to identify interisland differences in tooth size and between island populations. Two distinct patterns emerged: the populations of Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria had the largest BL and MD diameters, respectively, whereas the populations of El Hierro and La Palma had the smallest values for most teeth. These differences are statistically significant, especially between Gran Canaria (largest teeth) and El Hierro (smallest BL and MD diameters). Our results indicate heterogeneity in dental size, suggesting genetic differences between the eastern and western islands and limited gene flow among islands after the initial settlement. Furthermore, subsistence practices seem to influence these differences. Overall, the findings provide insights into the interplay of genetic isolation, subsistence strategies, body size variations, and sexual dimorphism.