Morphometric Study on the Mandible of Colobine Fossil (Mesopithecus pentelicus) Found in East Asia, a Comparison With Extant Taxa.

A tooth-bearing mandible fossil of a colobine monkey discovered at Shuitangba, Zhaotong, Yunnan, China, was morphometrically analyzed and compared with extant Asian colobines. Our previous qualitative and quantitative descriptions indicate that it can be safely attributed to Mesopithecus pentelicus, a Miocene fossil colobine widely found in Europe and South Asia. The present research aims to explore fossil association with extant colobines and functionally propose its dietary preferences based on multivariate morphometric analyses of mandibular morphology.

Terrestriality as reflected in the humerus of Mesopithecus delsoni (Cercopithecidae, Colobinae) from Hadjidimovo, Bulgaria.

The fossil colobine genus Mesopithecus is the oldest European monkey, ranging from the Late Miocene to the earliest Pleistocene. It is one of the most successful genera of Old World monkeys since the late Neogene. Its ecology, as an indicator of Late Miocene environments, is of particular interest.

Simia langobardorum: Were African apes traded in late medieval Lombardy?

Depictions of and references to apes (tailless hominoids) are very limited in early historical written accounts. The first known published representations of ape-like primates appear in Medieval European books during the first century following the invention of printing. Considering the current knowledge of ape iconography, this article examines an unusual image of a couple of ape-like creatures rendered in a European manuscript and explores the possible links of this challenging illustration with historical accounts and contexts during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.

Positional Behavior of Introduced Monk Parakeets () in an Urban Landscape.

Positional behaviors have been broadly quantified across the Order Primates, and in several other mammalian lineages, to contextualize adaptations to, and evolution within, an arboreal environment. Outside of Mammalia, however, such data are yet to be reported. In this study, we present the first quantitative report of positional behavior within Aves, presenting 11,246 observations of scan sampling data from a colony of Monk Parakeets () from Brooklyn, New York City.

Positional behavior and canopy use of black snub-nosed monkeys in the Gaoligong Mountains, Yunnan, China.

Studies on positional behavior and canopy use are essential for understanding how arboreal animals adapt their morphological characteristics and behaviors to the challenges of their environment. This study explores canopy and substrate use along with positional behavior in adult black snub-nosed monkeys , an endemic, critically endangered primate species in Gaoligong Mountains, southwest China. Using continuous focal animal sampling, we collected data over a 52-month period and found that is highly arboreal primarily using the high layers of the forest canopy (15-30 m), along with the terminal zone of tree crowns (52.

The northern treeshrew (Scandentia: Tupaiidae: Tupaia belangeri) in the context of primate locomotor evolution: A comprehensive analysis of gait, positional, and grasping behavior.

The locomotor behaviors of treeshrews are often reported as scurrying "squirrel-like" movements. As such, treeshrews have received little attention beyond passing remarks in regard to primate locomotor evolution. However, scandentians vary considerably in habitat and substrate use, thus categorizing all treeshrew locomotion based on data collected from a single species is inappropriate.

Spatial Ecology and Diel Activity of European Wildcat () in a Protected Lowland Area in Northern Greece.

The Balkan populations of the European wildcat are among the least studied. This study reports the first findings on the spatial ecology and activity pattern of the wildcat in Greece and compares them to those of better studied northern populations. We fitted five wildcats (two males, three females) with collars containing GPS and accelerometer loggers (E-obs 1A) and collected data from fall to early summer.

Galilei's mutter, archeoprimatology, and the ´blue´ monkeys of Thera: a comment on Pruetz and Greenlaw (2021).

A recent debate on the taxonomic identification of the monkeys depicted in a fresco from Room 6 of Building Complex Beta in the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri, Thera (Greece) has triggered a multitude of different interpretations deriving from a fruitful exchange of diverse academic approaches. Thus, Pareja et al. (Primates 61:159-168, 2020a) identified those Aegean monkeys as Asian langurs (Semnopithecus spp.

Endoparasites of European Wildcats () in Greece.

The European wildcat () is the only wild felid living in Greece. Wildcat populations are declining due to anthropogenic and phenological unfavourable conditions, and parasites may have an additional negative impact. In the present study, the occurrence of endoparasites in wildcats in Greece and the potential threats posed to wildcats, domestic animals, and humans in the study areas has been investigated.

Gait mechanics of a blind echolocating rodent: Implications for the locomotion of small arboreal mammals and proto-bats.

Arboreal mammals have evolved a range of biomechanical adaptations that allow them to navigate trees effectively. One such feature that has received considerable attention is the importance of vision that helps arboreal animals assess gap distances, assure proper foot placement, and inspect potential risks. While there is considerable debate about the relative importance of the visual system specifics, there is little doubt that the ability to at least see the environment must confer some level of safety when navigating arboreal substrates.

Sex differences in habitat use, positional behavior, and gaits of Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China.

Studies of positional behavior, gait, and habitat use are important for understanding how animals adapt to the challenges of their environment. In turn, this information is useful for advancing research on primate morphology, life history, and ecology. Data on eco-mechanical variables can be used to develop concrete conservation and management plans for understudied and threatened primate groups.

Postural behavior of howler monkeys (, , and ) during sleep: an assessment across the genus range.

Sleep is the longest and most continuous behavioral phase in the 24 h cycle of mammals. However, selection of postures, substrates, and tree parts during sleep has not been adequately explored, as well as their evolutionary consequences. The present study investigates postural behavior, substrate, and tree part use during sleep in three howler species (, , and ) in Nicaragua, French Guiana, and Argentina.

Oldest colobine calcaneus from East Asia (Zhaotong, Yunnan, China).

Apart from a juvenile hominoid, the locality of Shuitangba (southwestern China, 6.5-6.0 Ma) has yielded a mandible and proximal femur attributed to the colobine genus Mesopithecus.

Occam's razor, archeoprimatology, and the 'blue' monkeys of Thera: a reply to Pareja et al. (2020).

Recently, Pareja et al. (Primates, 61:159-168,  https://doi.org/10.

The Central Role of Small Vertical Substrates for the Origin of Grasping in Early Primates.

The manual and pedal grasping abilities of primates, characterized by an opposable hallux, flat nails, and elongated digits, constitute a unique combination of features that likely promoted their characteristic use of arboreal habitats. These hand and foot specificities are central for understanding the origins and early evolution of primates and have long been associated with foraging in a fine-branch milieu. However, other arboreal mammals occupy similar niches, and it remains unclear how substrate type may have exerted a selective pressure on the acquisition of nails and a divergent pollex/hallux in primates or in what sequential order these traits evolved.

A suspensory way of life: Integrating locomotion, postures, limb movements, and forces in two-toed sloths Choloepus didactylus (Megalonychidae, Folivora, Pilosa).

Over the last decade, we have learned much about the anatomy, evolutionary history, and biomechanics of the extant sloths. However, most of this study has involved studying sloths in controlled conditions, and few studies have explored how these animals are behaving in a naturalistic setting. In this study, we integrate positional activities in naturalistic conditions with kinematic and kinetic observations collected on a simulated runway to best capture the biomechanical behavior of Linnaeus's two-toed sloths.

Locomotion, postures, substrate use, and foot grasping in the marsupial feathertail glider Acrobates pygmaeus (Diprotodontia: Acrobatidae): Insights into early euprimate evolution.

Debates on early euprimate evolution are related to the understanding of the ecological context that promoted their unique adaptations. Currently, these discussions mainly revolve around the habitual use of the small-branch niche or the frequent utilization of wider, and probably, strongly inclined substrates by euprimate ancestors. The current fossil evidence implies a diversity of arboreal quadrupedal behaviors for these early euprimates, associated with the use of various types of substrates.

Assessing the accuracy of cranial and pelvic ageing methods on human skeletal remains from a modern Greek assemblage.

The present study tests the accuracy of commonly adopted ageing methods based on the morphology of the pubic symphysis, auricular surface and cranial sutures. These methods are examined both in their traditional form as well as in the context of transition analysis using the ADBOU software in a modern Greek documented collection consisting of 140 individuals who lived mainly in the second half of the twentieth century and come from cemeteries in the area of Athens. The auricular surface overall produced the most accurate age estimates in our material, with different methods based on this anatomical area showing varying degrees of success for different age groups.

Arboreal Locomotion in Eurasian Harvest Mice Micromys Minutus (Rodentia: Muridae): The Gaits of Small Mammals.

Body size imposes significant constraints on arboreal locomotion. Despite the wealth of research in larger arboreal mammals, there is a lack of data on arboreal gaits of small mammals. In this context, the present study explores arboreal locomotion in one of the smallest rodents, the Eurasian harvest mice Micromys minutus (∼10 g).

First evidence of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) as definitive host of Angiostrongylus chabaudi.

Angiostrongylus chabaudi (Strongylida, Angiostrongylidae) is a parasitic nematode described for the first time last century from the pulmonary arteries of six European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) in central Italy. Since then, this parasite remained practically unknown until recently, when immature A. chabaudi have been reported from one wildcat in Germany and two domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) in Italy.

Diagonal gaits in the feathertail glider Acrobates pygmaeus (Acrobatidae, Diprotodontia): Insights for the evolution of primate quadrupedalism.

Research on primate origins has revolved around arboreality and, more specifically, the adaptations that are linked to safe navigation in the fine-branch niche. To this end, extant non-primate mammals have been used as models to assess the significance of these adaptations. However, the size of these models is larger than that estimated for early primates.

Positional behavior and substrate use of Micromys minutus (Rodentia: Muridae): insights for understanding primate origins.

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origins of primates, suggesting evolutionary scenarios that are usually paralleled to modern mammalian models that partly simulate the morpho-behavioral apomorphies of primates. The current study examines substrate use and positional behavior of tiny-sized Eurasian harvest mice (Micromys minutus) as living models for inferring the evolution of versatile behavior, flexible branch use and pedal grasping in early small-sized primates. Micromys exhibits a diverse locomotor repertoire composed of clambering and climbing, and uses postural modes requiring secure pedal grasping.

A functional multivariate analysis of Mesopithecus (Primates: Colobinae) humeri from the Turolian of Greece.

The genus Mesopithecus is well represented in the late Miocene of Greece by several recognized species. The present paper investigates functional aspects of the humeri of Mesopithecus delsoni/pentelicus, M. pentelicus and M.

Locomotor diversification in new world monkeys: running, climbing, or clawing along evolutionary branches.

Modern platyrrhines exhibit a remarkable diversity of locomotor and postural adaptations, which evolved along multiple trajectories since the initial immigration to the island continent of South America. We trace this diversification by reviewing the available paleontological and neontological data for postcranial morphology and ecological adaptation. Fossil platyrrhines are notably diverse, from the Oligocene Branisella, to the varied Patagonian early Miocene quadurpedal-leaping and quadrupedal-climbing fossils of disputed affinities, on through the rich middle Miocene Colombian quadurpedal-leaping forms.