Table 3.

Mean cuspal enamel thickness in modern human and Neanderthal mesial molar cusps

Tooth*	Cusp†	Human‡	N	Neanderthal§	N	% Diff¶
UM1	mb	1,069 ± 169	13	759	2	71.0
	mp	1,521 ± 271	14	954	2	62.7
UM2	mb	1,322 ± 182	23	1197	3	90.5
	mp	1,688 ± 188	17	1293	2	76.6
UM3	mb	1,594 ± 276	68	1338	5	83.9
	mp	1,855 ± 246	55	1455	5	78.4
LM1	mb	1,093 ± 245	20	866	6	79.2
	ml	1,061 ± 194	27	901	6	84.9
LM2	mb	1,452 ± 148	32	1060	1	73.0
	ml	1,209 ± 130	25	971	2	80.3
LM3	mb	1,618 ± 247	43	1006	3	62.2
	ml	1,342 ± 235	30	954	6	71.1

*U, maxillary; L, mandibular; M1, first molar; M2, second molar; M3, third molar.

^†For maxillary molar cusps: mb, mesiobuccal cusp (paracone); mp, mesiopalatal cusp (protocone); for mandibular molar cusps: mb, mesiobuccal cusp (protoconid); ml, mesiolingual cusp (metaconid).

^‡Modern human values were taken from physical sections of mesial cusps of a sample of modern humans (mixed global populations) reported in ref. 34. Thickness measured in micrometers.

^§Neanderthal values were taken from virtual sections cut through the mesial cusps of unworn or very lightly worn cusps of molars reported in ref. 37. Thickness measured in micrometers.

^¶The percent difference was defined as the Neanderthal mean divided by the human mean, multiplied by 100.