Phyletic diversity and locomotion in primitive European hominids.
A major contribution of previous analyses of Miocene hominoid postcrania is the recognition of a great ape grade of locomotor morphology in the late Miocene. However, in the absence of a consideration of the taxonomic and phylogenetic implications of the specimens concerned, the importance of this conclusion remains unappreciated. This paper presents a revised view of the positional implications of late Miocene hominid fossils and considers some of the taxonomic and phyletic implications of these specimens. The taxonomic status of a number of large catarrhine specimens from Europe (attributed to Dryopithecus, Sivapithecus, Austriacopithecus, Paidopithex, Rudapithecus) is discussed. The functional and phyletic significance of this material reveals a complex pattern of behavioral and phyletic diversity among large-bodied catarrhines in Europe and suggests that this diversity evolved in situ from circum-Mediterranean middle Miocene ancestors.
Begun
D R
DR
Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
D000818:Animals; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005580:Fossils; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008124:Locomotion; D010802:Phylogeny; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014457:Ulna / Q000033:anatomy & histology