This paper presents a study of 3-dimensional growth in the
facial skeleton of the mangabey, Cercocebus
torquatus. The pattern of facial cortical remodelling in this species
is already well mapped from an earlier
study. In this paper we consider the extent to which these remodelling
maps relate to ontogenetic changes in
size and shape of the face. This study is based on 31 facial landmarks
taken from 49 adult and subadult
faces. Our analysis draws on some of the tools of geometric morphometrics
and we take this opportunity to
describe our implementation of these tools for 3D data. The geometric
analysis permits the known
remodelling maps to be interpreted in the context of the general
pattern of facial growth in this species. We
are also able to examine sexual dimorphism in the face of this species
and consider the extent to which
males and females share similar ontogenetic allometries. Our findings
indicate that the general pattern of
size-related shape variation during facial growth is more or less
identical for males and females up to
eruption of the third permanent maxillary molar (M3). After this,
ontogenetic allometries appear to diverge.
The finding of a common growth allometry that is well approximated
for younger specimens by a simple
linear model is consistent with the earlier findings of a consistent
pattern of facial remodelling up to M3
eruption. We consider the implications of these findings in terms of
the potential for these approaches in the
study of comparative growth in related species.