Analyses of New Miocene Hominoids

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In 1941, Dr. Lewis Leakey discovered the remains of a fossil primate termed "Proconsul" in deposits on Rusinga Island in Western Kenya. Over the last several years with NSF support, Dr. Alan Walker and his colleagues have systematically excavated at the original and newly discovered sites to increase the sample of Proconsul remains. To date, they have collected well over 800 specimens. Postcranial remains are particularly noteworthy, and analysis indicates that at least nine individuals, ranging in age from infancy through adulthood, are represented. With continued support, Drs. Walker, Teaford and colleagues will continue to collect material. They will, however, focus their attention on the restoration and analysis of the entire sample. Since many specimens are in a fragmentary state, extensive refitting and restoration is necessary. The investigators will provide the first functional interpretations of certain areas of the skeleton, such as the pelvis. They will also apply relatively new methods such as finite element scaling analysis and dental microwear analyses to help determine how growth occurred and how Proconsul moved through and utilized its environment. The genus Proconsul flourished during the Miocene, which dates from ca. 25 to 4 million years ago. This period saw the appearance and radiation of many species of apes, including the Proconsuls. While most went extinct, one line led to the African great apes and to humans. While Proconsul probably lies outside this direct line of descent, it can provide important information on the more general group from which this lineage emerged. This sample is particularly important because it includes many postcranial specimens which because of their fragile nature are generally underrepresented in the primate fossil record. With these remains, it will be possible to obtain a more complete picture of the several Proconsul species and to determine how they moved through their environment. Many scientists will be interested not only in the team's conclusions, but also in the basic data.