Doctoral Dissertation Research: Reconstructing Theropithecus phylogeny and paleobiology

这个博士论文项目将根据骨骼和遗传数据来研究狮尾猴（兽猿属）的进化历史。在非洲的化石记录中，这一组的物种比任何其他非人类灵长类动物都更广泛，数量更大。在非洲南部、东部和北方、中东、西班牙甚至印度都发现了化石，这对除人类以外的任何灵长类动物群体来说都是一个不寻常的分布。然而，这一群体的生活代表仅在埃塞俄比亚的高地被发现。由于它们在过去与人类的重叠，这些猴子经常被认为是理解人类进化的模型。因此，对狮尾猴的深入分析不仅可以更好地了解这一群体的进化，还将推动人类进化的研究。该项目将支持研究生培训，并通过美国自然历史博物馆萨克勒教育实验室的“与科学家见面”项目向公众展示该项目的成果。该项目的主要目标是全面了解灵长类动物兽猿属的进化关系、分类学和古生物学。所有现有的颅齿数据，为生活和灭绝的成员，这一组将被汇编。将收集3D标志和2D测量形式的形态测量数据以及字符状态形式的形态数据。还将收集遗传数据，从而为这一灵长类动物群体建立一个大型综合数据集。这一全面的数据集将用于：评估Theropithecus gelada现存种群之间的形态和遗传差异;为化石种群的研究提供信息;提供Theropithecus属的全面系统发育重建;调查该属的饮食趋势及其与颅齿形态趋势的关系;并调查该属某些物种所表现出的极端面部形态的原因，并评估这是否与饮食，性选择或其他因素有关。作为这项研究的一部分，一个新的和相对未知的种群现存的地方性灵长类动物将进行分析，并提供新的见解，为保护的目的。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

This doctoral dissertation project will examine the evolutionary history of gelada monkeys (genus Theropithecus) based on skeletal and genetic data. Species of this group occur more broadly and in larger numbers than any other non-human primate in the fossil record of Africa. Fossils have been found in southern, eastern, and northern Africa, the Middle East, Spain, and even India, an unusual distribution for any primate group besides humans. The living representatives of this group, however, are only found in the highlands of Ethiopia. Because of their overlap with humans in the past, these monkeys have often been suggested as a model for understanding human evolution. Therefore, the in-depth analysis of gelada monkeys will not just provide better insight into the evolution of this group but will also advance the study of human evolution. This project will support graduate student training, and results from the project will be presented to the general public through the American Museum of Natural History Sackler Educational Laboratory's "Meet the Scientist" program.The main goal of this project is to fully understand the evolutionary relationships, taxonomy and paleobiology of the primate genus Theropithecus. All available cranio-dental data for both living and extinct members of this group will be compiled. Morphometric data in the form of 3D landmarks and 2D measurements, as well as morphological data in the form of character states, will be collected. Genetic data will also be collected, thereby resulting in a large, integrated dataset for this primate group. This comprehensive dataset will then be used to: assess the morphological as well as genetic differences among the living populations of Theropithecus gelada; inform research on fossil populations; provide a comprehensive phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus Theropithecus; investigate the dietary trends seen in this genus and their relationship to cranio-dental morphological trends; and investigate the cause of the extreme facial morphology exhibited by some species of this genus and evaluate whether that is related to diet, sexual selection or some other factor. As part of this study a new and relatively unknown population of an extant endemic primate will be analyzed and provide new insights for conservation purposes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.