Evolution of the Neogene fossil primates in Eurasia

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

I have gathered the paleontological data of the Neogene (the late Miocene through the early Pleistocene) Old World monkeys (Family Cercopithecidae) in the Eurasian continent, and reviewed the information on the locality, geological age, and phylogenetic position of the fossil taxa. It was previously believed that Old World monkeys have appeared in Europe first in the Eurasian continent. This hypothesis was criticized by the recent discovery of isolated molars of Macaca? from the latest Miocene beds (about 6 Ma) at the Yushe, Shangxi Province, China. The age of the Yushe teeth corresponds to that of the oldes fossil record in Europe. Moreover, the latitude of the Yushe locality is about 37°N, which is much northern part than other early Pliocene fossil localities in South Asia. These fossil evidences necessitate the reexamination of the traditional hypothesis on the evolutionary process of the Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea) in the Eurasian continent.In this work I have reviewed the recent paleontological data on the Old World monkeys in the Eurasian continent, making a database of the fossil specimens, locality, faunal lists, and paleoclimate. In addition, I published a preliminary review article on the evolutionary process on the cercopithecine monkeys (macaques and baboons) during the Neogene in the Eurasian continent (Takai, 2005). Now I am preparing another article on the evolutionary process of colobine monekeys during the Neogene I the Eurasia.