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What does the nonhoning canine structure of Ardipithecus reveal about its teeth?

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skeleton of “Ardi” — Ardipithecus Reconstructed frontal view of the skeleton of “Ardi,” a specimen belonging to the early hominid species *Ardipithecus ramidus*.

The nonhoning canine structure of Ardipithecus reveals that its teeth did not undergo the sharpening process seen in both living and fossil apes.12

In many apes and monkeys, the lower premolar is unicuspid and acts as a hone to sharpen the upper canine tooth to razor sharpness. In contrast, the dental evidence from Ardipithecus—specifically the substantial sample of upper and lower canines—shows that its upper canines were relatively short and small, similar to those of Australopithecus*. This indicates that Ardipithecus lacked the large, projecting canines associated with intermale aggression found in living chimpanzees. Furthermore, this nonhoning complex is a key anatomical feature that distinguishes Ardipithecus* from apes and aligns it with later hominin evolutionary trends.34125