Topic
Pierolapithecus
About: Pierolapithecus is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 51 publications have been published within this topic receiving 3873 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
Book•
1 Jan 1997
TL;DR: Function and Phylogeny in Miocene Hominoids C.V. Ward, et al, and Comments on the Last Decades of Research on MioceneHominoids and Hominid Origins D.D. Ward.
Abstract: Function and Phylogeny in Miocene Hominoids C.V. Ward, et al. Comments on the Last Decades of Research on Miocene Hominoids and Hominid Origins D. Pilbeam. Inter-Relationships Between Functional Morphology and Paleoenvironments in Miocene Hominoids P. Andrews, et al. The Early Evolution of the Hominoid Face T.C. Rae. Functional and Phylogenetic Features of the Forelimb in Miocene M.D. Rose. Functional Anatomy and Phyletic Implications of the Hominoid Trunk and Hindlimb C.V. Ward. Dental Evidence for Diets in Some Miocene Catarrhines with Comments on the Effects of Phylogeny on the Interpretation of Adaptation R.F. Kay, P.S. Ungar. Miocene Hominoid Mandibles: Functional and Phylogenetic Perspectives B. Brown. Paleobiological and Phylogenetic Significance of Life History in Miocene Hominoids J. Kelley. Proconsul - Function and Phylogeny A. Walker. Afrophitecus - Function and Phylogeny M. Leakey, A. Walker. On the Relationships and Africa M.L. McCrossi, B.R. Benefit. The Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Sivapithecus Revisited S. Ward. Phyletic Affinities and Functional Convergence in Dryopithecus and Other Miocene and Living Hominids D. Begun, L. Kordo. 4 Additional Articles. Index.
285 citations
TL;DR: Between 10 and 20 million years ago, a variety of hominoid primates lived in Africa, Europe and Asia and the question of which of these, if any, lie closest to the ancestries of humans and modern apes remains a lively source of debate.
Abstract: Between 10 and 20 million years ago, a variety of hominoid primates lived in Africa, Europe and Asia. The question of which of these, if any, lie closest to the ancestries of humans and modern apes remains a lively source of debate. Recent fossil discoveries, though, shed light on the environments in which the various groups of hominoid emerged and, it is hoped, on their evolution. But the lack of a hominid fossil record before about 5 million years ago--and any fossil record for the African apes--is still a frustrating barrier.
261 citations
TL;DR: The new skeleton reveals that early great apes retained primitive monkeylike characters associated with a derived body structure that permits upright postures of the trunk, and suggests that Pierolapithecus is probably close to the last common ancestor of great apes and humans.
Abstract: We describe a partial skeleton with facial cranium of Pierolapithecus catalaunicus gen. et sp. nov., a new Middle Miocene (12.5 to 13 million years ago) ape from Barranc de Can Vila 1 (Barcelona, Spain). It is the first known individual of this age that combines well-preserved cranial, dental, and postcranial material. The thorax, lumbar region, and wrist provide evidence of modern ape–like orthograde body design, and the facial morphology includes the basic derived great ape features. The new skeleton reveals that early great apes retained primitive monkeylike characters associated with a derived body structure that permits upright postures of the trunk. Pierolapithecus , hence, does not fit the theoretical model that predicts that all characters shared by extant great apes were present in their last common ancestor, but instead points to a large amount of homoplasy in ape evolution. The overall pattern suggests that Pierolapithecus is probably close to the last common ancestor of great apes and humans.
250 citations
TL;DR: The fossil is a Sivapithecus indicus adult, probably male, and consists of most of the left side of the face including a small portion of the frontal bone, the zygomatic arch and temporo-mandibular joint, the maxilla, a virtually entire mandible and the complete dentition.
Abstract: Neogene hominoid cranial material is regrettably scarce, especially from the middle and late Miocene. Between the 18-Myr-old virtually complete early Miocene Proconsul africanus skull from Rusinga1 and the 3–4-Myr-old Hadar hominoid cranial material2, the only significant large (non-hylobatid) hominoid facial or cranial specimens are those from the late Miocene Salonika in Greece3, Yassioren in Turkey4, Lufeng in China5, the possibly middle Miocene site of Moroto in Uganda6 and the new facial-mandibular piece from late Miocene deposits in Pakistan reported here. The specimen is a Sivapithecus indicus7 adult, probably male, and consists of most of the left side of the face including a small portion of the frontal bone, the zygomatic arch and temporo-mandibular joint, the maxilla, a virtually entire mandible and the complete dentition. The fossil, catalogued as GSP 15000, is the property of the Government of Pakistan and is at present on loan for study at Harvard University.
224 citations
TL;DR: The discovery of an extraordinary partial skeleton of Dryopithecus laietanus from Can Llobateres (Spain) provides evidence that orthograde postures and locomotion appeared at least 9.5 million years ago, strengthening previous hypotheses linking both Miocene forms with Pongo.
Abstract: THE evolution of skeletal adaptations to orthograde postures, characteristic of extant hominoids, is of great interest as it provides the key to understanding the origins of apes and humans. We report here the recent discovery of an extraordinary partial skeleton of Dryopithecus laietanus from Can Llobateres (Spain). It provides evidence that orthograde postures and locomotion appeared at least 9.5 million years ago1. Our results indicate that the body structure of this Miocene ape closely resembles that of extant hominoids2,3 and differs from the prono-grade pattern of Miocene proconsulids4,5 in a set of important morphological characters. Dryopithecusalso shows more traits reflecting structural adaptations for suspension than occurs in African apes. A similar positional behaviour is inferred for Sivapithecus indicus, thus strengthening previous hypotheses linking both Miocene forms with Pongo6–9.
214 citations
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