Although this idea has been the subject of some controversy (12), Jolly’s efforts have stimulated considerable research on the
origins of hominid adaptations and on relative incisor size in a wide variety of living and fossil primates. Hylander (13), for example, examined the relationship of incisor row length (relative to body size) in a range of living anthropoids and found that those species with larger incisors tend to consume larger, tougher fruits, whereas those with smaller front teeth tend to feed on smaller foods, or those that require less extensive incisal preparation, such as leaves or berries. Since the work of Jolly and Hylander, numerous workers have looked to incisor size in early hominids and other fossil primates for clues concerning diet.