Excavation of a Hominoid Locality in the Miocene Siwalik Sequence of Pakistan

[408664]约翰·凯利化石属在猿类和人类的进化中起着至关重要的作用，人们认识到它与猩猩在面部形态上有共同的重要特征。最近，根据在巴基斯坦Siwalik Hills 311遗址出土的颅后标本，对Sivapithecus作为猩猩姐妹分类群的解释提出了质疑。这种不同的解释对我们理解类人猿颅后和运动适应的进化具有重要意义。这个研究项目将扩大311号遗址的挖掘工作，那里已经发现了迄今为止已知的Sivapithecus后颅骨遗骸的一半，同时也将调查Hasnot地区，这一地区前景可观。

9408664 John Kelley The fossil genus Sivapithecus assumed central importance in the evolution of apes and humans with the recognition that it shares important characters of facial morphology with the orang utan. Recently, the interpretation of Sivapithecus as the sister taxon to orangs has been questioned on the basis of postcranial specimens excavated from site 311 in the Siwalik Hills, Pakistan. This alternative interpretation has fundamental implications for our understanding of the evolution of hominoid postcranial and locomotor adaptations. This research project will extend the excavations at site 311, which has produced half the known postcranial remains of Sivapithecus to date, and also will survey the Hasnot area, which holds considerable promise.