Paul Constantino

Postdoctoral Scientist
E-mail paulconstantino@gmail.com
Office: Bell Hall B05C / (202) 994-7894

Dr. Constantino is a biological anthropologist and evolutionary morphologist with expertise in human evolution.

Research

Dr. Constantino studies the evolution of skull morphology in mammals, especially hominins. He is particularly interested in extracting information about diet from the skull morphology of fossil taxa. This research involves both laboratory and field work including a study of chacma baboons in southern Africa and giant pandas in central China. He has also conducted paleontological research in Kenya, South Africa, and Wyoming, as well as Paleoindian archaeology in South Carolina

Current Research Projects

1. Using geometric morphometrics to explore the relationship between skull morphology and diet in primates and bears.
   
2. Tooth enamel adaptation to food mechanical properties from a fracture mechanics perspective.
3. The role of underground storage organs in hominin dietary evolution.
4. The role of fallback foods in primate ecology and evolution.
5. Mechanical properties of chacma baboon foods — Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa.
6. Giant panda dietary ecology — Foping Nature Reserve, China.

Selected Publications

To see Dr. Constantino's complete CV, click here.

Articles and Book Chapters

2009	Constantino P.J., P.W. Lucas, JJ-W. Lee, and B.R. Lawn. "The influence of fallback foods on great ape tooth enamel," American Journal of Physical Anthropology 140(4): 653-60.
[2009]	Constantino P.J., and B. Wright. "The importance of fallback foods in primate ecology and evolution," American Journal of Physical Anthropology (in press).
[2009]	Chai, H., JJ-W. Lee, P.J. Constantino, P.W. Lucas, and B.R. Lawn. "How are teeth so brittle yet so resilient?," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (in press).
2008	Lucas, P., P.J. Constantino, B. Wood and B. Lawn. "Dental enamel as a dietary indicator in mammals," BioEssays 30:374-385.
2007	Constantino, P., and B. Wood. "The evolution of Zinjanthropus boisei," Evolutionary Anthropology 16(2): 49-62.

Course Taught

Anth 147: Hominin Evolution
Anth 148: Primatology

Education