Doctoral Dissertation Research: Reconstructing Theropithecus phylogeny and paleobiology

这一博士论文项目将基于骨骼和遗传数据来研究灵猴(属)的进化史。与非洲化石记录中的任何其他非人类灵长类动物相比，这一组物种的分布范围更广，数量更多。在非洲南部、东部和北部、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来说都是不寻常的分布。然而，这一群体的活着的代表只在埃塞俄比亚的高地上找到。由于它们过去与人类有重叠之处，这些猴子经常被认为是理解人类进化的模型。因此，对猕猴的深入分析不仅将为更好地洞察这一群体的进化提供依据，也将推进人类进化的研究。该项目将支持研究生培养，项目成果将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。该项目的主要目标是全面了解灵长类动物瑟古猿属的进化关系、分类学和古生物学。这一群体中在世和灭绝成员的所有可用的颅牙数据都将被汇编。将收集3D地标和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，从而为这一灵长类群体产生一个大型、完整的数据集。这一综合数据集随后将用于：评估灵长类动物种群的形态和遗传差异；为化石种群研究提供信息；提供类人猿属的全面系统发育重建；调查该属的饮食趋势及其与颅牙形态趋势的关系；调查该属某些物种表现出极端面部形态的原因，并评估这是否与饮食、性别选择或某些其他因素有关。作为这项研究的一部分，将对现存的地方性灵长类动物的一个新的和相对未知的种群进行分析，并为保护目的提供新的见解。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.