Analyses of New Miocene Hominoids

1941年，刘易斯·利基博士发现了一块化石的残骸 年在鲁辛加岛沉积物中发现的一种名为“普罗康索”的灵长类动物。 肯尼亚西部。 在过去的几年里，在NSF的支持下，博士。 艾伦步行者和他的同事们系统地挖掘了 原始和新发现的网站，以增加样本， 总督还在。 到目前为止，他们已经收集了800多个 标本 尤其值得注意的是， 分析表明，至少有九个人，年龄不等， 从婴儿期到成年期都有 在持续的支持下，步行者、蒂福德博士和同事们将 继续收集材料。 然而，他们将专注于 注意整个样品的恢复和分析。 由于许多标本是在一个零碎的状态，广泛 必须进行改装和修复。 调查人员将 提供某些领域的第一个功能解释， 骨骼，如骨盆。 它们也将适用于 相对较新的方法，如有限元比例分析 和牙齿微磨损分析来帮助确定 发生了什么，以及总督如何通过和利用其 环境 原执政官（Proconsul）属在中新世（Miocene）时繁盛， 从约两千五百万到四百万年前。 这一时期， 许多种类的猿的外观和辐射，包括 总督 虽然大多数都灭绝了，但有一条线通向非洲 大猩猩和人类。 总督可能就在外面 这条直系血统，可以提供重要的信息 这一世系起源于更广泛的群体。 这 样本特别重要，因为它包含许多 由于其脆弱的性质， 在灵长类动物化石记录中普遍被低估。 与 这些遗骸，将有可能获得更完整的 几个原执政官物种的图片，并确定如何 它们在环境中移动。 许多科学家将 不仅对团队的结论感兴趣， 基本数据。

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.