Miocene Primates

What happens in the Miocene?

Catarrhini splits into Cercopithecoidea and Hominoidea

What diversifies in the Miocene?

Catarrhini, hominoidea, pongidae

Cercopithecoid teeth

Bilophodont

Cercopithecoid nasal aperture

narrow

Cercopithecoid cranial capacity

smaller than face

Cercopithecoid scapula placement

lateral

Cercopithecoid tail

long

Hominoid teeth

5y molars

Hominoid nasal aperture

broad

Hominoid cranial capacity

equal or greater than face

Hominoid scapula placement

dorsal

Hominoid tail

no tail

Cercopithecoid ancestor

victoriapithecus

Victoriapithecus (teeth, and locomotion)

bilophodont, possible terrestrial quadruped

Dental apes (hominoids)

5y molars, monkey body post crania

Dental ape ancestral to all hominoids (weight, locomotion, enamel, diet)

Proconsul

• 10-150lbs

• terrestrial and arboreal quadrupeds

• thick enamel

• frugivorous

True apes

5y molars and ape body post cranium

True ape, pongidae (the smaller one)

Sivapithecus

• thick enamel

• crania like Orangutan

• post crania like arboreal quadruped

• Not as arborally adapted as Orangutan

True ape, pongidae (the larger one)

Gigantopithecus

• thick enamel

• fist walker