Mesopithecus (Primates, Cercopithecidae) from the turolian locality of Vathylakkos 2 (Macedonia, Greece)

Koufos, George D.; Bonis, Louis de; Kostopoulos, Dimitris S.; Viriot, Laurent; Vlachou, Theodora D.

doi:10.1007/bf03009140

Cited by 18 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…A third species, the Late Miocene M. delsoni (Bonis et al 1990), defined on the basis of large mandibular specimens from the fossil site of Ravin des Zouaves 5 (Greece), was added later. Although the taxonomic validity of this species has been questioned (Delson 1994, Andrews et al 1996, Rook 1999, fossils from Bulgaria (Hadjidimovo-1 and Kalimantsi), Iran (Maragha), and possibly others from Greece (Ravin X) give this species additional support (Bonis et al 1990, Koufos et al 2003, Koufos 2009a. Following this, we consider M. delsoni a valid taxon.…”

Section: Localitymentioning

confidence: 82%

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New view on the old collection: 'Pikermian fauna' from the vicinity of Veles (Republic of Macedonia), Part 1: Primates

Radović¹,

Alaburić²,

Marković³

et al. 2013

Bulletin of the Natural History Museum

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The paper presents the first detailed description and the first analysis of the fossil colobine monkey Mesopithecus housed in the collections of the Natural History Museum in Belgrade, Serbia. The material is described using the standard methodology and analyzed in a comparative context of specimens from the published literature (n=45), by using bivariate and multivariate statistical methods (principal component analysis). We determined several species: M. pentelicus, M. delsoni, M. cf. pentelicus, M. cf. delsoni. The associated fauna suggests MN11 to MN12 (Turolian) age, and a relatively open landscape -bushy or sparsely wooded savannah. However, further research into the associated collection will allow us to discuss biostratigraphic and paleoecological characteristics in more detail.

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Section: Localitymentioning

confidence: 82%

“…The Bulgarian specimens from Hadjidimovo-1 and Kalimantsi assigned to M. aff. delsoni date to late MN11 and MN12 (Koufos et al 2003). Maragha mandible from Iran, also referred to as M. aff.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New view on the old collection: 'Pikermian fauna' from the vicinity of Veles (Republic of Macedonia), Part 1: Primates

Radović¹,

Alaburić²,

Marković³

et al. 2013

Bulletin of the Natural History Museum

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“…The only specimen preserving both permanent incisors had M2 already in full occlusion, and it was therefore not possible to determine whether M2 erupted before I1. Koufos et al (2004) recently published an additional juvenile specimen of Mesopithecus pentelicus (VTK-78) from Macedonia, Greece, which preserves both the cranium and the mandible, and is described as showing upper and lower M2 and dI 1 in place and lower incisors erupting. We were not able to score VTK-78 based on the published drawings, but the specimen could provide evidence of precedence of the second molar over both incisors, a condition present variably in several colobine taxa (Harvati 2000).…”

Section: Mesopithecusmentioning

confidence: 98%

Dental Eruption Sequences in Fossil Colobines and the Evolution of Primate Life Histories

Harvati

Frost

2007

Int J Primatol

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Unlike other catarrhines, colobines show early molar eruption relative to that of the anterior dentition. The pattern is variable, with Asian genera (Presbytina) showing a greater variability than the African genera (Colobina). The polarity of early relative molar eruption, as well as the degree to which it is related to phylogeny, are unclear. Schultz (1935) suggested that the trend reflects phylogeny and is primitive for catarrhines. More recently, however, researchers have proposed that life history and dietary hypotheses account for early relative molar eruption. If the colobine eruption pattern is primitive for catarrhines, it implies that cercopithecines and hominoids converged on delayed relative molar eruption. Alternatively, if the colobine condition is derived, factors such as diet and mortality patterns probably shaped colobine eruption patterns. Here we update our knowledge on eruption sequences of living colobines, and explore the evolutionary history of the colobine dental eruption pattern by examining fossil colobine taxa from Eurasia (Mesopithecus) and Africa (Kuseracolobus aramisi and Colobus sp.) and the basal cercopithecoid Victoriapithecus macinnesi. We scored specimens per Harvati (2000). The Late Miocene-Early Pliocene Mesopithecus erupts the second molar early relative to the incisors, while the Early Pliocene Kuseracolobus aramisi does not. These results demonstrate that the common colobine tendency for early molar eruption relative to the anterior dentition had appeared by the Late Miocene, and that some of the diversity observed among living colobines was already established in the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene. We discuss the implications of these results for phylogenetic, life history, and dietary hypotheses of dental development.

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“…monspessulanus have been discovered in the Late Turolian sites of Dytiko 1, 2, 3 (DTK, DIT, DKO) in the Axios valley of Macedonia, northern Greece, all of MN-13 age, ca. 7-5.3 Ma (de Bonis et al 1990, 1997Koufos et al 2004;Koufos 2006b, in press a). All the known Mesopithecus-bearing Greek localities and their geological ages are summarized in Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Mesopithecus Wagner, 1839, is known from numerous cranial, dental, and postcranial specimens from many Eurasian Late Miocene to Late Pliocene sites (8.5-3 Ma), representing three or four different species (Delson 1975;Szalay and Delson 1979;de Bonis et al 1990de Bonis et al , 1997Zapfe 1991;Jablonski 2002;Koufos et al 2004;Delson et al 2005;Harrison and Delson 2007;Pradella and Rook 2007;Tsoukala and Bartsiokas 2008;Koufos in press b). It appears to bear close affinities to Asian colobines (Szalay and Delson 1979;Hohenneger and Zapfe 1990;Zapfe 1991;Jablonksi 1998;Pan et al 2004), but the primitive nature of its character still classifies it as Colobinae incertae sedis (Szalay and Delson 1979;Strasser and Delson 1987;Jablonski 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Locomotor evolution of Mesopithecus (Primates: Colobinae) from Greece: evidence from selected astragalar characters

Youlatos

Koufos

2009

Primates

Self Cite

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This paper reports our investigations into functional aspects of the astragalus of four samples of the genus Mesopithecus from Greece. More particularly, it aims to infer substrate preferences of M. delsoni/pentelicus from the Middle Turolian site of Perivolaki (central Greece), M. pentelicus from the late Middle Turolian site of Pikermi (southern Greece), and M. cf. pentelicus and M. cf. monspessulanus from the Late Turolian site of Dytiko (northern Greece). For these purposes, selected astragalar functional features, such as trochlea wedging, proximal facet curvature, and head rotation were expressed as linear measurements on both fossil and selected extant colobines. The size-adjusted measurements were used for univariate comparisons as well as a multivariate principal components analysis. Both approaches revealed that the selected characters were able to discriminate between extant arboreal and semiterrestrial colobines, but all fossil forms presented mosaic morphology. Thus, the oldest representative, M. delsoni/pentelicus was reconstructed as mainly semiterrestrial. On the other hand, the astragalus of M. pentelicus appeared to reflect semiterrestrial habits with a moderate adaptation to arboreality. Similar habitus reconstruction was allocated to the more recent M. cf. pentelicus, whereas the sympatric and synchronous M. cf. monspessulanus showed semiterrestrial adaptations with a slight preference of terrestrial substrates. The results mainly conform to paleoenvironmental reconstructions of the fossiliferous localities and denote that Mesopithecus was mainly a semiterrestrial radiation throughout its evolutionary history, with differential rates of use between arboreal and terrestrial substrates. These adaptations could have promoted the dispersal of the genus throughout Eurasia during the latest Miocene and Early Pliocene.

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Mesopithecus (Primates, Cercopithecidae) from the turolian locality of Vathylakkos 2 (Macedonia, Greece)

Cited by 18 publications

References 5 publications

New view on the old collection: 'Pikermian fauna' from the vicinity of Veles (Republic of Macedonia), Part 1: Primates

New view on the old collection: 'Pikermian fauna' from the vicinity of Veles (Republic of Macedonia), Part 1: Primates

Dental Eruption Sequences in Fossil Colobines and the Evolution of Primate Life Histories

Locomotor evolution of Mesopithecus (Primates: Colobinae) from Greece: evidence from selected astragalar characters

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