The Primate Fossil Record

A comprehensive treatment of primate paleontology. Profusely illustrated and up to date, it captures the complete history of the discovery and interpretation of primate fossils. The chapters range from primate origins to the advent of anatomically modern humans. Each emphasizes three key components of the record of primate evolution: history of discovery, taxonomy of the fossils, and evolution of the adaptive radiations they represent. The Primate Fossil Record summarizes objectively the many intellectual debates surrounding the fossil record and provides a foundation of reference information on the last two decades of astounding discoveries and worldwide field research for physical anthropologists, paleontologists and evolutionary biologists.

This volume brings together a series of papers that address the topic of reconstructing behavior in the primate fossil record. The literature devoted to reconstructing behavior in extinct species is ovelWhelming and very diverse. Sometimes, it seems as though behavioral reconstruction is done as an afterthought in the discussion section of papers, relegated to the status of informed speculation. But recent years have seen an explosion in studies of adaptation, functional anatomy, comparative sociobiology, and development. Powerful new comparative methods are now available on the internet. At the same time, we face a rapidly growing fossil record that offers more and more information on the morphology and paleoenvironments of extinct species. Consequently, inferences of behavior in extinct species have become better grounded in comparative studies of living species and are becoming increas ingly rigorous. We offer here a series of papers that review broad issues related to reconstructing various aspects of behavior from very different types of evi dence. We hope that in so doing, the reader will gain a perspective on the various types of evidence that can be brought to bear on reconstructing behavior, the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, and, perhaps, new approaches to the topic. We define behavior as broadly as we can including life-history traits, locomotion, diet, and social behavior, giving the authors considerable freedom in choosing what, exactly, they wish to explore.

This book presents a series of integrated papers on the latest techniques and concepts for understanding the fossil record of primates; including humans. Papers review the dating of primate fossil finds from many areas of the world, as well as the status and importance of recent discoveries of fossils linking the monkeys and apes to humans. Further contributions compare the anatomy and growth of living primates to that of the ancestral animals in order to give an understanding of trends in evolution. A final section discusses the application of recently developed genetic techniques to interpret and explain the evolution of primates. By presenting the most recent research, this volume provides a valuable synthesis of the new developments in primate and human evolution.

A unique reconstruction of the paleobiology of fossil non-human primates and their key role in inferring evolutionary processes on earth.

The Platyrrhine Fossil Record is a compendium of papers presented in a symposium of the 12th Congress of the International Congress of Primatology held in Brazil. One paper reviews evidence from fossil platyrrhines where the author concludes new dating and environmental data where these animals lived. Another paper describes the major changes pertaining to South American mammalian fauna during the Cenozoic Era, which he relates to global and regional geotectonic changes. Other papers review the paleontology and geology of the Miocene Pintura Formation and reassess the morphological transformations traditionally assumed as having been involved in platyrrhine phylogeny. One author also proposes that a prosimian-like ancestor is probably the predecessors of anthropoids; any similarities and primitive mammals can be evolutionary reversals associated with quadrupedal movements. The text also addresses the issue whether anthropoids, including platyrrhines, evolved from a prosimian ancestor or prosimians are just a group with mammalian postcranial skeletal structure. One author also reviews fossil remains found in the Caribbean, citing seven endemic taxa of platyrrhines in Cuba, Hispaniola, and Jamaica. Anthropologists, researchers involved in anatomical sciences, academicians, and administrators whose works are connected with museums of natural history or institutes of primate research will find this collection valuable.

Research on the evolution of higher intelligence rarely combines data from fields as diverse as paleontology and psychology. In this volume we seek to do just that, synthesizing the approaches of hominoid cognition, psychology, language studies, ecology, evolution, paleoecology and systematics toward an understanding of great ape intelligence. Leading scholars from all these fields have been asked to evaluate the manner in which each of their topics of research inform our understanding of the evolution of intelligence in great apes and humans. The ideas thus assembled represent a comprehensive survey of the various causes and consequences of cognitive evolution in great apes. The Evolution of Thought will therefore be an essential reference for graduate students and researchers in evolutionary psychology, paleoanthropology and primatology.

Evolutionary History of the Primates presents a documentation and analysis of the fossil record and evolutionary history of the primates to facilitate the understanding of the genealogy, adaptations, dispersal, and taxonomy of the order. The book consists of 13 chapters; each chapter is devoted to a specific genera or higher taxa of primates. The chapters contain available information on the morphology, relationships, and adaptations of primate groups. The book clarifies discussed points or documents interpretations, and it indicates the type of fossil material available for each taxon. The text will be valuable to many researchers and students who need a source of data and interpretations about fossil primates.

This 3-volume handbook brings together contributions by the world ́s leading specialists that reflect the broad spectrum of modern palaeoanthropology, thus presenting an indispensable resource for professionals and students alike. Vol. 1 reviews principles, methods, and approaches, recounting recent advances and state-of-the-art knowledge in phylogenetic analysis, palaeoecology and evolutionary theory and philosophy. Vol. 2 examines primate origins, evolution, behaviour, and adaptive variety, emphasizing integration of fossil data with contemporary knowledge of the behaviour and ecology of living primates in natural environments. Vol. 3 deals with fossil and molecular evidence for the evolution of Homo sapiens and its fossil relatives.