Quantitative genetic analyses can indicate how complex traits respond to natural selection by demonstrating the genetic relationships between features that constrain their evolution. Genetic correlations between dental measurements have been estimated previously in baboons, humans, and tamarins and indicate variable patterns of modularity by tooth type across these taxa. Here, heritabilities of, and genetic correlations between, linear dental measurements were estimated from the Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Relationships between the genetic correlation matrix and matrices designed to test hypotheses of modularity by tooth type, region, function, and development were assessed using a random skewers approach. Dental measurements were found to be moderately to highly heritable, with 24 of 28 heritability estimates differing significantly (p < 0.05) from zero. Almost all genetic correlations between dental dimensions were positive. The genetic correlation matrix was most similar to a regionally modular matrix, with distinct anterior and postcanine tooth modules. This pattern is consistent with previous quantitative genetic analyses of baboons and previous phenotypic analyses of cercopithecoid primates. The existence of a genetic module for the canines and honing premolar was not supported. Ongoing selection pressures, rather than strong genetic constraints, are likely necessary to preserve functional relationships between the canines and honing premolar based on these findings. The genetic correlation matrix of the Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques mirrors patterns of phenotypic correlations observed for cercopithecoid primates broadly and demonstrates that genetic contributions to these patterns may be fairly stable over the course of cercopithecoid evolution. The quantitative genetic study of additional taxa will be necessary to determine whether the regional modularity of baboons and macaques, or the integrated pattern of humans and tamarins, is shared more broadly across primates.

定量遗传分析可以通过证明限制其进化的特征之间的遗传关系来表明复杂性状如何对自然选择做出反应。先前已经在狒狒、人类和狒狒中估计了牙齿测量值之间的遗传相关性，并通过这些分类群的牙齿类型表明了模块化的可变模式。在这里，线性牙齿测量值的遗传力和遗传相关性是从 Cayo Santiago 恒河猴 ( Macaca mulatta）。遗传相关矩阵与旨在通过牙齿类型、区域、功能和发育测试模块化假设的矩阵之间的关系使用随机串法进行评估。牙齿测量被发现具有中度到高度的遗传性，28 个遗传性估计中有 24 个显着不同（p < 0.05) 从零开始。几乎所有牙齿尺寸之间的遗传相关性都是正相关的。遗传相关矩阵与区域模块矩阵最相似，具有不同的前牙和后尖牙模块。这种模式与先前对狒狒的定量遗传分析和先前对狒狒类灵长类动物的表型分析一致。不支持犬齿和珩磨前磨牙的遗传模块的存在。基于这些发现，持续的选择压力，而不是强大的遗传限制，可能是保持犬齿和珩磨前磨牙之间的功能关系所必需的。Cayo Santiago 恒河猴的遗传相关矩阵反映了广泛观察到的 cercopithecoid 灵长类动物的表型相关性模式，并表明在 cercopithecoid 进化过程中对这些模式的遗传贡献可能相当稳定。需要对其他分类群进行定量遗传研究，以确定狒狒和猕猴的区域模块化，或人类和狨猴的综合模式是否在灵长类动物中更广泛地共享。