First record of Theropithecus (Cercopithecidae) from the Republic of Djibouti

Denis Geraads; Louis de Bonis

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102686

First record of Theropithecus (Cercopithecidae) from the Republic of Djibouti

J Hum Evol. 2020 Jan:138:102686. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102686. Epub 2019 Nov 20.

Authors

Denis Geraads¹, Louis de Bonis²

Affiliations

¹ CR2P-UMR 7207, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, Sorbonne Universités, CP 38, 8 rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France. Electronic address: denis.geraads@mnhn.fr.
² PALEVOPRIM-UMR 7262, UFR SFA, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel-Brunet, Bât. 35, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers cedex 9, France.

PMID: 31759254
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102686

Abstract

We describe here several specimens of the genus Theropithecus from the southern shore of Lake Assal in the Republic of Djibouti; they are the first record of the genus from this country. We assign them to a derived stage of T. oswaldi. This identification has implications for the age of the informal 'Formation 1' from this area, which should probably be assigned to the Middle Pleistocene. In addition, the presence of T. oswaldi close to the Bab el Mandeb Strait strongly suggests that the species followed this route to India, rather than a more northern one.

Keywords: Biogeography; Cercopithecidae; Eastern Africa; Primates; Systematics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animal Distribution*
Animals
Djibouti
Fossils / anatomy & histology*
Male
Theropithecus / anatomy & histology*
Theropithecus / physiology