Paleontological Study on the Evolution of Cermpithecine Monkeys in Asia

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(1) We have analyzed the inner structure of the skull specimen of Paradolichopithecus discovered from the middle Pliocene of Kurksay, southern Tajikistan, using Cr (Computer Tomography) machine, and made discussion on its phylogenetic position and dispersal route in Eurasian continent(Nishimura, et. al., 2007 ; Takai, et. al., 2008). In addition, we examined another skulls of Paradolichopithecus discovered in France.(2) We discussed the phylogenetic position of Parapresbytis discovered from the middle Pliocene of Transbaikal area based on the postcranial specimens (Egi, et. al., 2007). We am now preparing the monograph of the Udunga mammal fauna (Middle Pliocene, Transbaikal aea).(3) We made a paleontological excavation at the late Miocene to the early Pliocene Irrawaddy sediments, central Myanmar. This year we discovered many mammal fossils including Artiodactyla (Suidae, Bovidae, Cervidae), Perissodactyla (Equidae, Rhinocerotidae), Proboscidea (Mastodonotidae, Stegodontidae, Elephantidae), Carnivora (Amphicyonidae, Agriotheriidae), and Rodentia (Hystrichidae). A graduate student from Myanmar, obtained the Ph.D. degree based on the paleontological analysis on these mammal fossils.(4)We examined the skull specimens of colobine monkeys discovered in Japan and France, using CT machine, and discussed their phylogenetic relationship. In addition we examined the inner structure of Macaca skull discovered from the lath Pleistocene cave deposits in northern Vietnam. We are now preparing the description papers on these results.