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Hypotheses: After the effect of phylogeny is statistically removed, cranial structures that are employed solely for mastication should covary the most with hypsodonty (high-crowned cheek teeth are termed ‘hypsodont’). Such structures should also be the least phylogenetically constrained. A corollary: structures that are highly influenced by shared ancestry will exhibit greater morphological integration than those that are affected less.

Organisms: All extant rhinoceroses and a number of extinct, European, Plio-Pleistocene species.

Analytical methods: Using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics, we studied skull shape in the dorsal and lateral views, mandible shape in the lateral view, and the upper tooth row shape in the occlusal view. To reflect feeding habits, we used a surrogate variable, the hypsodonty index. Using phylogenetically independent contrasts and variation partitioning, we separated shape variation …