Dr. T. Tóth szerk.: Studia historico-anthropologica (Anthropologia Hungarica 21. Budapest, 1990)

phylogenetically important. Between the two anterior cusps a crest may occur with one or more fossae in front of it. The crest from the hypoconid towards the basis of the tooth never reaches the metaconid, and that is why there is no closed trigonid. Crest connection is frequent between the hypoconid and entoconid, which sometimes results a closed posterior fovea. The main cusps are in parallel contact with the tooth margin, constituting a continuous cone system with the incisions. Conoluses may often appear among the main cusps making the tooth-crown pattern more varied. These latter features facilitate the study of the structure of tooth-crown even in case of eroded items. METHODOLOGY OF THE ANALYSIS In the course of the morphotype analysis not only one feature (e.g. the presence or absence of the cingulum) but the joint occurrence of the largest number of morphological characteristics should be considered. Variation within morphotypes is provided by the tooth samples collected from the same layer of the same locality disregarding the fact that they are classified into different systematic units on the basis of different anatomical features. The former taxonomical results, in given cases, may coincide with the predominance of morphotypes. In the course of the morphotype analysis of the lower third molar's tooth-crown the following eight characteristics were studied: 1. The shape of the masticatory surface (rectangle, oval, posteriorly narrowing) Form of the tooth-crown cannot be classified within the three basic groups since transitional shapes frequently occur. The last tooth in the row proved to be such a unique feature that it excluded the possibility of drawing general conclusions. That is why this characteristic will not be discussed in the present study any more. 2. The cingulum (present or absent) The presence of the cingulumn meeting indicates phylogenetically évaluable change. Its occurrence is extremely frequent in layers of geologically earlier periods (from the Oligocène to Upper Miocene) while the tooth type without the cingulum is predominant in case of the Upper Miocene Hominoids. The development or absence of the cingulum may not be related to changes in size and shape of the tooth. 3. The fovea anterior (missing, or one or two are present) Most frequently it develops if a lingo-buccally elongated fovea is closed by the anterior cingulum (or tooth margin) and the crest is between proto- and metaconid. This proved to be predominant in almost all cases but double anterior fovea may also appear. The fovea anterior as a marginal variation is missing when the axial fossa of the anterior side is dychotomic. This feature in itself indicates no phylogenetical trend but only changes in predominance within the population. 4. The crest between the protc- and metaconid (continuous or interrupted) The crest connecting the proto- and metaconid is interrupted in 90% of the cases by a fissure between the fovea anterior and the talonid basin. Since this variation cannot be evaluated it will not be discussed subsequently. 5. The conulus(es) between the meta- and entoconid (present or absent) In more than half of the cases one or more extra conuluses appear. The extra conulus is more frequent in the earlier Hominoids (Lower and Middle Miocene) than in the younger ones (Upper Miocene). It indicates a tendency of simplification in the tooth pattern. 6. The conulus(es) between the entaconid and hypoconulid (present or absent) It indicates the same tendency of simplification as for the extra conulus between the meta- and entoconid. However, there is no close connection between the appearance of the extra conulus between the Med-End and the End-Hid. 7. The position of the protoconid as related to the axis of the tooth (half, quarter and margin) The termination of the position of the protoconid as related to the axis strongly depends on the erosion of the tooth, and that is why the morphotype is unsuitable for evaluation. 8. The fovea posterior (present or absent) It develops by the approaching or closing in of the hypoconulid and entaconid. Its presence or absence in itself is not a definitive characteristic. It is generally missing form geologically younger M3 tooth finds. It indicates a simplification of the tooth structure which is not in positive correlation with the fovea anterior.