Publications by authors named "Terry L Spell"
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 2019
Article Synopsis
- Old World monkeys are a diverse and successful primate group with over 130 species, recognizable by their unique dental feature called bilophodonty, which allows them to adapt their diets.
- Their evolution diverged from apes around 30 million years ago, with incomplete fossil records prior to 18 million years complicating our understanding of their early development.
- A newly discovered 22 million-year-old monkey fossil from Kenya shows that early Old World monkeys had simpler teeth and diets focused on fruits, with bilophodonty evolving later to accommodate a broader range of food, including leaves.
