Pitheciine Action Group
Pitheciidae and other Platyrrhine Seed Predators: The
Dual Occupation of the Seed Predator Niche during
Platyrrhine Evolution
Kay, R.K. & M. Takai
The fossil record for crown Pitheciidae (the titi monkeys-- Callicebus, and
the sakis and uakaries--Pithecia, Chiropotes and Cacajao) and its
corresponding stem group, is restricted to the middle Miocene, Colombia
(~12 Ma) and northern Patagonian Argentina (15 Ma). The Patagonian
record, although it consists of teeth, jaw fragments and a talus of just
one species, establishes that the front-tooth specializations of the
pitheciines (sakis and uakaris), associated with seed predation, were
already established and, by inference, that the titi-monkey clade must
already have separated from pitheciines before 15 Ma. Colombian fossil
pitheciids include the first definite record of titi monkeys —
Miocallicebus— and three stem pitheciines. The best preserved of these
is Cebupithecia, represented by a partial skull and skeleton. Colombian
Miocene pitheciines exhibited a range of seed predation adaptations;
however, the tail of Cebupithecia was elongate, unlike living sakis and
uakaries. We have no fossil record of any crown pitheciine. Interestingly,
a group of extinct species called Soriacebidae found in the early Miocene
of Patagonian Argentina (at > 45 degrees South) is argued to be related
to Pitheciinae. Soriacebids occupied a seed-predation niche broadly
similar to pitheciines. However details of their anatomy, especially in a
more primitive recently discovered early soriacebid from about 20 Ma,
demonstrate that soriacebids occupied the seed predator niche
independently from pitheciines and are a striking example of convergent
adaptation.
Return to symposium programme
Dual Occupation of the Seed Predator Niche during
Platyrrhine Evolution
Kay, R.K. & M. Takai
The fossil record for crown Pitheciidae (the titi monkeys-- Callicebus, and
the sakis and uakaries--Pithecia, Chiropotes and Cacajao) and its
corresponding stem group, is restricted to the middle Miocene, Colombia
(~12 Ma) and northern Patagonian Argentina (15 Ma). The Patagonian
record, although it consists of teeth, jaw fragments and a talus of just
one species, establishes that the front-tooth specializations of the
pitheciines (sakis and uakaris), associated with seed predation, were
already established and, by inference, that the titi-monkey clade must
already have separated from pitheciines before 15 Ma. Colombian fossil
pitheciids include the first definite record of titi monkeys —
Miocallicebus— and three stem pitheciines. The best preserved of these
is Cebupithecia, represented by a partial skull and skeleton. Colombian
Miocene pitheciines exhibited a range of seed predation adaptations;
however, the tail of Cebupithecia was elongate, unlike living sakis and
uakaries. We have no fossil record of any crown pitheciine. Interestingly,
a group of extinct species called Soriacebidae found in the early Miocene
of Patagonian Argentina (at > 45 degrees South) is argued to be related
to Pitheciinae. Soriacebids occupied a seed-predation niche broadly
similar to pitheciines. However details of their anatomy, especially in a
more primitive recently discovered early soriacebid from about 20 Ma,
demonstrate that soriacebids occupied the seed predator niche
independently from pitheciines and are a striking example of convergent
adaptation.
Return to symposium programme
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SYMPOSIUM
Pitheciins: Ecology & Conservation
XXI Congress of the International Primatological Society
Pitheciins: Ecology & Conservation
XXI Congress of the International Primatological Society
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