[PaleoMammalogy • 2024] Buronius manfredschmidi • A New small hominid (Primates: Hominidae) from the early late Miocene of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany)

 

Buronius manfredschmidi  

 Böhme, Begun,Holmes, Lechner & Ferreira, 2024

 

 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301002

Abstract

The known diversity of European middle and late Miocene hominids has increased significantly during the last decades. Most of these great apes were frugivores in the broadest sense, ranging from soft fruit frugivores most like chimpanzees to hard/tough object feeders like orangutans, varying in size from larger than siamangs (over 17 kg) to larger than most chimpanzees (~60–70 kg). In contrast to the frequent sympatry of hominoids in the early-to-middle Miocene of Africa, in no European Miocene locality more than one hominid taxon has been identified. Here we describe the first case of hominid sympatry in Europe from the 11.62 Ma old Hammerschmiede HAM 5 level, best known from its excellent record of Danuvius guggenmosi. The new fossils are consistent in size with larger pliopithecoids but differ morphologically from any pliopithecoid and from Danuvius. They are also distinguished from early and middle Miocene apes, share affinities with late Miocene apes, and represent a small hitherto unknown late Miocene ape Buronius manfredschmidi. With an estimated body mass of about 10 kg it represents the smallest known hominid taxon. The relative enamel thickness of Buronius is thin and contrasts with Danuvius, whose enamel is twice as thick. The differences between Buronius and Danuvius in tooth and patellar morphology, enamel thickness and body mass are indicative of differing adaptations in each, permitting resource partitioning, in which Buronius was a more folivorous climber.

Buronius manfredschmidi nov. gen. et sp. photographs.
Upper panel: holotype left upper M2 (GPIT/MA/13005), A–occlusal, B–buccal, C–lingual, D–mesial, E–distal.
 Lower panel: paratype left lower P4 (GPIT/MA/13004), F–occlusal, G–buccal, H–lingual, I–mesial, J–distal. Scale bars equal 10 mm.

These 3D prints of the two molars are magnified by a factor of ten. The enamel of the likely Buronius manfredschmidi tooth (left) is very thin, indicating it was an herbivore. The thick enamel of the likely Danuvius guggenmosi tooth (right) suggests it was an omnivore.

Berthold Steinhilber / University of Tübingen

Systematic paleontology

Order Primates Linnaeus, 1758

Infraorder Catarrhini Geoffroy, 1812

Family Hominidae Gray 1825

Buronius manfredschmidi nov. gen. et sp.

Holotype: GPIT/MA/13005: An unworn left upper M2 germ, crown complete with no root formation

Derivation nominis: Genus name after Buron, the medieval name for the city of Kaufbeuren, which is located 5 km to the south of the Hammerschmiede clay-pit. The specific epithet is in honour of Dr. med. dent. Manfred Schmid (Marktoberdorf), a private collector who joined Sigulf Guggenmoos in collecting fossils from Hammerschmiede since the late 1970’s.

M. Böhme, D. R. Begun, A. C. Holmes, T. Lechner and G. Ferreira. 2024. Buronius manfredschmidi—A New small hominid from the early late Miocene of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany). PLoS ONE. 19(6): e0301002. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301002

 www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/do-these-fossilized-teeth-belong-to-the-worlds-smallest-great-ape-180984489

[PaleoMammalogy • 2023] Phylogeny and Paleobiogeography of the enigmatic North American Primate Ekgmowechashala illuminated by New Fossils from Nebraska (USA) and Guangxi (China)

 

Ekgmowechashala 

in Rust, Ni, Tietjen & Beard, 2023. 

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103452

Artwork: Kristen Tietjen

Abstract

Ekgmowechashala is a poorly documented but very distinctive primate known only from the late early Oligocene (early Arikareean) of western North America. Because of its highly autapomorphous dentition and spatiotemporal isolation, the phylogenetic and biogeographic affinities of Ekgmowechashala have long been debated. Here, we describe the oldest known fossils of Ekgmowechashala from the Brown Siltstone Beds of the Brule Formation, White River Group of western Nebraska. We also describe a new ekgmowechashaline taxon [Palaeohodites naduensis gen. nov. et sp. nov.] from the Nadu Formation (late Eocene) in the Baise Basin of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that North American Ekgmowechashala and the new Chinese taxon are sister taxa that are nested within a radiation of southern Asian adapiforms that also includes Gatanthropus, Muangthanhinius, and Bugtilemur. The new Chinese ekgmowechashaline helps fill the considerable disparity in dental morphology between Ekgmowechashala and more primitive ekgmowechashalids known from southern Asia. Our study underscores the fundamental role of southern Asia as a refugium for multiple primate clades during the cooler and drier climatic regime that prevailed after the Eocene–Oligocene transition. The colonization of North America by Ekgmowechashala helps define the beginning of the Arikareean Land Mammal Age and corresponds to an example of the Lazarus effect, whereby a taxon (in this case, the order Primates) reappears suddenly in the fossil record after a lengthy hiatus.

Keywords: Ekgmowechashalidae, Adapiformes, Eocene–Oligocene transition, Paleobiogeography, Dental evolution, Lazarus effect

Order Primates Linnaeus, 1758

Semiorder Strepsirrhini Geoffroy, 1812

Infraorder Adapiformes Hoffstetter, 1977

Family Ekgmowechashalidae Szalay, 1976

Included genera Ekgmowechashala Macdonald, 1963; 

Bugtilemur Marivaux et al., 2001; 

Muangthanhinius Marivaux et al., 2006; 

Gatanthropus Ni et al., 2016; 

Palaeohodites, gen. nov.

Subfamily Bugtilemurinae, subfam. nov.

Type genus Bugtilemur Marivaux et al., 2001.

Included genera Bugtilemur Marivaux et al., 2001; 

Muangthanhinius Marivaux et al., 2006.

Diagnosis Differs from Ekgmowechashalinae in lacking highly crenulated enamel; lacking multiple neomorphic cusps and cuspules on upper and lower molars, including those identified as duplicated metaconule, duplicated protocone, ectostylids, and metastylids; and lacking large conules on upper molars.

Subfamily Ekgmowechashalinae Szalay, 1976

Included genera Ekgmowechashala Macdonald, 1963; 

Palaeohodites, gen. nov.

Genus Ekgmowechashala Macdonald, 1963

Type species Ekgmowechashala philotau Macdonald, 1963.

Ekgmowechashala zancanellai Samuels et al., 2015.

Ekgmowechashala philotau Macdonald, 1963

 

 Upper molar morphology in ekgmowechashaline primates, highlighting similarities and differences between Ekgmowechashala philotau from the Gering Formation, Nebraska, USA, and Palaeohodites naduensis from the Nadu Formation, Baise Basin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
 A, B) Ekgmowechashala philotau, isolated right M2 (KUVP 69859) in occlusal (A) and lingual (B) views.
C, D) Palaeohodites naduensis, right maxillary fragment preserving M2 (IVPP V 32350) in occlusal (C) and lingual (D) views.

Genus Palaeohodites gen. nov.

Etymology Combination of the Greek words palaios (ancient, old) and hodites (wanderer).

Type species Palaeohodites naduensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis Differs from Ekgmowechashala in having relatively longer and narrower P2–3, P2 roots more widely spaced, M1 with vestigial paraconid and large neomorphic cusp on central part of postvallid, M1–2 with hypoconid and hypoconulid clearly separate and cuspidate, and M2 without a continuous centrocrista and with closely connate lingual cusps. Differs from Gatanthropus and bugtilemurines in having heavily crenulated enamel, multiple neomorphic lower molar cusps, and duplicated protocone and inflated conules on M2.

Palaeohodites naduensis sp. nov.

Type locality Outcrop of the Nadu Formation located ∼1.5 km northeast of Quelin village, north-central Baise Basin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Fig. 2).

Age and distribution Late Eocene of the Baise Basin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

Etymology Named for the Nadu Formation, strata of which have yielded all known specimens of this species.

Illustration of Ekgmowechashala, the last primate to inhabit North America before humans.

Artwork: Kristen Tietjen, scientific illustrator with the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.

 Kathleen Rust, Xijun Ni, Kristen Tietjen and K. Christopher Beard. 2023. Phylogeny and Paleobiogeography of the enigmatic North American Primate Ekgmowechashala illuminated by New Fossils from Nebraska (USA) and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China). Journal of Human Evolution. In Press, 103452. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103452

  phys.org/news/2023-11-fossils-tale-primate-inhabit-north.html

[PaleoMammalogy • 2023] New Specimens of middle Eocene omomyines (Primates, Omomyoidea) from the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Tornillo Basin of Texas, with Clarification of the Generic Status of Ourayia, Mytonius, and Diablomomys

Artist's reconstruction of the two species described in the paper—Mytonius williamsae (L) and Diablomomys dalquesti (R)—in Big Bend country in West Texas 44 million years ago in the middle Eocene. The volcano on the skyline is a reminder of the active volcanism that was occurring in this part of Texas during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs.

Image: Randwulph. 

in Kirk, Dunn, Rodwell & Townsend, 2023.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103425

 University of Texas at Austin UTexas.edu

 

Abstract

In the middle Eocene, multiple lineages of North American omomyoids independently evolved body masses greater than 500 g. Most of these large-bodied omomyoids are known from small sample sizes, which has contributed to a lack of consensus regarding their alpha taxonomy. Here, we describe new Uintan omomyine specimens from the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Tornillo Basin of Texas. These new samples expand the hypodigms of Diablomomys dalquesti, Mytonius hopsoni, and Ourayia uintensis, and favor the recognition of new species of Mytonius and Ourayia based on specimens from the Tornillo Basin. These samples support the recognition of Diablomomys as a valid genus distinct from Omomys, Ourayia as a valid genus distinct from Macrotarsius, and Mytonius as a valid genus distinct from Ourayia. Although Diablomomys and Omomys co-occur in the late Uintan of the Tornillo Basin, Ourayia and Mytonius are time-successive taxa with a wide distribution across multiple Laramide basins. The data presented here reinforce the conclusion that the Uintan was a time period in which omomyines diversified to include a large number of taxa with body masses above Kay's threshold and frugivorous–folivorous diets. These data also provide evidence that North American primate faunas exhibited a shifting pattern of regional endemism during the middle Eocene. By the early Uintan, primate faunas from Southern California were already quite distinct from primate faunas of the central Rocky Mountains or Trans-Pecos Texas. By the late Uintan, primate faunas in all three regions demonstrated greater provincialism, with Trans-Pecos Texas and Southern California both exhibiting a large number of endemic primate taxa and sharing only a single primate genus (Macrotarsius) in common. This increase in primate endemism across the Uintan may be tied to changes in paleohabitats associated with the larger trend toward decreasing temperatures from the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum to the Eocene/Oligocene transition.

 

Keywords: Primate, Haplorhine, Omomyid, Devil's Graveyard Formation, Laramide Basin, Uintan NALMA

Artist's reconstruction of the two species described in the paper—Mytonius williamsae (L) and Diablomomys dalquesti (R)—in Big Bend country in West Texas 44 million years ago in the middle Eocene. The volcano on the skyline is a reminder of the active volcanism that was occurring in this part of Texas during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs.

Image: Randwulph. Credit: University of Texas at Austin

 

E. Christopher Kirk, Rachel H. Dunn, Benjamin Rodwell and K. E. Beth Townsend. 2023. New Specimens of middle Eocene omomyines (Primates, Omomyoidea) from the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Tornillo Basin of Texas, with Clarification of the Generic Status of Ourayia, Mytonius, and Diablomomys. Journal of Human Evolution. 183, 103425. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103425

 news.UTexas.edu/2023/09/21/2-new-species-of-ancient-primates-identified-that-resembled-lemurs/

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-species-ancient-primates-resembling-lemurs.html

[PaleoMammalogy • 2023] Ashaninkacebus simpsoni • An eosimiid Primate (Eosimiiformes) of South Asian Affinities in the Paleogene of Western Amazonia and the Origin of New World Monkeys

Ashaninkacebus simpsoni

Marivaux, Negri, Antoine, Stutz, Condamine, Kerber, Pujos, Santos, Alvim, Hsiou, Bissaro, Adami-Rodrigues & Ribeiro, 2023

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301338120

Abstract

Recent fossil discoveries in Western Amazonia revealed that two distinct anthropoid primate clades of African origin colonized South America near the Eocene/Oligocene transition (ca. 34 Ma). Here, we describe a diminutive fossil primate from Brazilian Amazonia and suggest that, surprisingly, a third clade of anthropoids was involved in the Paleogene colonization of South America by primates. This new taxon, Ashaninkacebus simpsoni gen. et sp. nov., has strong dental affinities with Asian African stem anthropoids: the Eosimiiformes. Morphology-based phylogenetic analyses of early Old World anthropoids and extinct and extant New World monkeys (platyrrhines) support relationships of both Ashaninkacebus and Amamria (late middle Eocene, North Africa) to the South Asian Eosimiidae. Afro-Arabia, then a mega island, played the role of a biogeographic stopover between South Asia and South America for anthropoid primates and hystricognathous rodents. The earliest primates from South America bear little adaptive resemblance to later Oligocene-early Miocene platyrrhine monkeys, and the scarcity of available paleontological data precludes elucidating firmly their affinities with or within Platyrrhini. Nonetheless, these data shed light on some of their life history traits, revealing a particularly small body size and a diet consisting primarily of insects and possibly fruit, which would have increased their chances of survival on a natural floating island during this extraordinary over-water trip to South America from Africa. Divergence-time estimates between Old and New World taxa indicate that the transatlantic dispersal(s) could source in the intense flooding events associated with the late middle Eocene climatic optimum (ca. 40.5 Ma) in Western Africa.

Keywords: Brazilian Amazonia; Platyrrhini; paleobiogeography; phylogeny; teeth.

 Ashaninkacebus simpsoni gen. et sp. nov.

Significance: 

Western Amazonia has recently revealed that two distinct anthropoid primate clades of African origin colonized South America near the Eocene/Oligocene transition (ca. 34 Ma). Here, we report a new fossil primate from Brazilian Amazonia pointing to a third clade involved in that colonization. Surprisingly, this taxon has strong affinities with eosimiid anthropoids of South Asian origin. These data highlight some of the life history traits (very-small-bodied size and insectivory/frugivory) that would have increased the chances of survival on a natural raft during this extraordinary transatlantic journey from Africa to South America. Estimated splits between New and Old World taxa indicate that the dispersal(s) coincides with the late middle Eocene climatic optimum (ca. 40.5 Ma), which generated intense flooding events.

Laurent Marivaux, Francisco R. Negri, Pierre-Olivier Antoine, Narla S Stutz, Fabien L. Condamine, Leonardo Kerber, François Pujos, Roberto Ventura Santos, André M. V. Alvim, Annie S. Hsiou, Marcos C. Bissaro Jr., Karen Adami-Rodrigues and Ana Maria Ribeiro. 2023. An eosimiid Primate of South Asian Affinities in the Paleogene of Western Amazonia and the Origin of New World Monkeys. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 120 (28) e2301338120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301338120

[Mammalogy • 2023] Saguinus kulina • Taxonomic Review of Saguinus mystax (Spix, 1823) (Primates: Callitrichidae), and Description of A New Species

Saguinus mystax (Spix, 1823)

Spix’s Mustached Tamarin

Saguinus pileatus pileatus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire & Deville, 1848)

Red-capped Mustached Tamarin

Saguinus pileatus pluto (Lönnberg, 1926)

White-rumped Mustached Tamarin

Saguinus kulina 

Lopes, Rohe, Bertuol, Polo, Lima, Valsecchi, Santos, Nash, Silva, Boubli, Farias & Hrbek, 2023

 Kulinas’ Tamarin 

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14526

 Illustrations by Stephen D. Nash.

Abstract 

Although the Amazon has the greatest diversity of primates, there are still taxonomic uncertainties for many taxa, such as the species of the Saguinus mystax group. The most geographically broadly distributed and phenotypically diverse species in this group is S. mystax, and its phenotypic diversity has been recognized as three subspecies—S. mystax mystax, S. mystax pileatus and S. mystax pluto—with non-overlapping geographic distributions. In this sense, we carried out an extensive field survey in their distribution areas and used a framework of taxonomic hypothesis testing of genomic data combined with an integrative taxonomic decision-making framework to carry out a taxonomic revision of S. mystax. Our tests supported the existence of three lineages/species. The first species corresponds to Saguinus mystax mystax from the left bank of the Juruá River, which was raised to the species level, and we also discovered and described animals from the Juruá–Tefé interfluve previously attributed to S. mystax mystax as a new species. The subspecies S. m. pileatus and S. m. pluto are recognized as a single species, under a new nomenclatural combination. However, given their phenotypic distinction and allopatric distribution, they potentially are a manifestation of an early stage of speciation, and therefore we maintain their subspecific designations.

Order Primates Linnaeus, 1758

Family Callitrichidae Thomas, 1903

Genus Saguinus Hoffmannsegg, 1807

Saguinus mystax (Spix, 1823)

Common name: Spix’s Mustached Tamarin

Distribution. Saguinus mystax occurs in Peru and Brazil (Fig. 2).

Saguinus pileatus pileatus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire & Deville, 1848) comb. nov. 

Common name: Red-capped Mustached Tamarin

Saguinus pileatus pluto (Lönnberg, 1926) comb. nov.

Common name: White-rumped Mustached Tamarin

 

Coat color pattern of Saguinus mystax and Saguinus sp. analyzed in this study.

 Illustrations by Stephen D. Nash.

Saguinus kulina sp. n. Lopes, Rohe, Bertuol, Polo, Lima, Valsecchi, Santos, Nash, Silva, Boubli, Farias & Hrbek, 2023.

Common name: Kulinas’ Tamarin (English), 

sauim-dos-kulinas (Portuguese), pishi (Kulina).

 

Diagnostic characters:  The new species is diagnosable from all other species of Saguinus by mantle and forelimbs light black brown subterminal band yellow, saddle, rump and hindlimbs light black with brown (Table 1; Figs. 3 and 4).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition and honors the Kulina indigenous peoples of the Kumaru Indigenous Territory, the largest indigenous territory within Juruá–Tefé interfluve.

Geographic Distribution. Saguinus kulina sp. n. is endemic to the western Amazonia, occurring between the right bank of the Juruá River and the left bank of the Tefé River (Fig. 2).

Conclusions: 

We describe a new species of Saguinus from the Juruá–Tefé interfluve based on robust genomic evidence, pelage characters and geographic distribution. We also elevate Saguinus mystax to the species level, but we find no conclusive evidence for species level differentiation of Saguinus p. pileatus and Saguinus p. pluto. Finally, we emphasize that field surveys and scientific collection of specimens are essential for the continued advancement of knowledge of primate diversity specifically, and all Amazon biodiversity in general.

Gerson Paulino Lopes, Fábio Rohe​, Fabrício Bertuol, Erico Polo, Ivan Junqueira Lima, João Valsecchi, Tamily Carvalho Melo Santos, Stephen D. Nash, Maria Nazareth Ferreira da Silva, Jean P. Boubli, Izeni Pires Farias and Tomas Hrbek​.   2023. Taxonomic Review of Saguinus mystax (Spix, 1823) (Primates, Callitrichidae), and Description of A New Species. PeerJ. 11:e14526. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14526

   

[Mammalogy • 2023] Cheracebus aquinoi • A New Species of Titi Monkey, Genus Cheracebus Byrne et al., 2016 (Primates: Pitheciidae), from Peruvian Amazonia

Cheracebus aquinoi

 Rengifo, D'Elía, García, Charpentier & Cornejo, 2023

DOI: 10.3106/ms2022-0019 

Researchgate.net/publication/364328813

 twitter.com/GuillermoDElia

Abstract

The subfamily Callicebinae is composed of 35 recognized living species that are grouped into the genera, Callicebus, Plecturocebus, and Cheracebus. In this study we assess the taxonomic status of the population of Cheracebus from the Nanay-Tigre interfluvium in Peruvian Amazonia, based on morphological (cranial and pelage) and molecular (mitochondrial DNA) evidence. Following the integrated assessment of the evidence, we conclude that specimens from the Nanay-Tigre interfluvium comprise a distinct lineage at the species level. It is easily distinguished from the other species of the genus, including C. lucifer to which the new species was considered to belong so far, by, among other characters, overall Reddish-brown pelage; crown intense reddish brown; Cream-colored collar, like a bow tie, with a band that does not extend laterally. The description of a new species of Cheracebus is not unexpected since other new species of titi monkeys have been described in recent years and there are several candidate species awaiting validation of their distinction. As such, we anticipate that in the next few years several taxonomic changes will be proposed in order to reveal a classification that mirrors the real species diversity of the subfamily Callicebinae.

KEYWORDS: Aquino's titi monkey, Peru, Platyrrhini, taxonomy

   

 

Edgardo M. Rengifo, Guillermo D'Elía, Gabriel García, Elvis Charpentier and Fanny M. Cornejo. 2023. A New Species of Titi Monkey, Genus Cheracebus Byrne et al., 2016 (Primates: Pitheciidae), from Peruvian Amazonia. Mammal Study. 48(1); 1-16. DOI: 10.3106/ms2022-0019 

Researchgate.net/publication/364328813_A_new_species_of_Cheracebus_from_Peruvian_Amazonia

 twitter.com/GuillermoDElia/status/1580894556676988929

  es.mongabay.com/2022/11/mono-tocon-de-aquino-es-la-nueva-especie-descubierta-en-peru-entrevista

#Cheracebus aquinoi - nueva especie de mono tití. Con su nombre se homenajea al primatólogo Rolando Aquino. Trabajo liderado por @edgar_mrv . 🐒  

 #Pitheciidae #Platyrrhini #collectionsareessential

[Mammalogy • 2022] Macaca selai • A Distinct Phylogenetic Species (Primates: Cercopithecidae) that evolved from the Arunachal Macaque following Allopatric Speciation

Macaca selai

 Ghosh, Thakur, Singh, Dutta, Sharma, Chandra & Banerjee, 2022

 

 Sela Macaque  ||  DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107513

Highlights

• Arunachal macaque showed ample genetic polymorphism, and evolved into two phylogenetic species.

• Allopatric speciation driven by the sela mountain pass.

• A new species, Macaca selai described based on phylogenetic species concept.

• Novel findings imperative for conservation planning and management of Arunachal macaque.

Abstract

Arunachal macaque (M. munzala) is an endangered and recently discovered cercopithecine primate from Western Arunachal Pradesh, India. On genetic analyses of Arunachal macaques, we observed spatially distributed substantial inter-species genetic divergence among the samples collected from Arunachal Pradesh. The results suggested that Arunachal macaque evolved into two phylogenetic species about 1.96 mya following allopatric speciation by means of Sela mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India. We describe - Sela macaque (Macaca selai) as a new macaque species that interestingly exhibited high intra-specific genetic variation and also harbors at least two conservation units. Further, we report the past demographic trajectories and quantify genetic variation required for taxonomic clarification. The present study also identifies gap areas for undertaking surveys to document the relic and unknown trans-boundary populations of macaques through multinational, multi-lateral cross border collaboration.

 

Keywords: Arunachal macaque, Sela macaque, Eastern Himalayas, Sela mountain pass, Allopatric speciation, Taxonomic revision

Order Primates Linnaeus, 1758

Superfamily Cercopithecoidea Gray, 1821

Family Cercopithecidae Gray, 1821

Genus Macaca Lacépèpde, 1799

Macaca selai species novum

Etymology: The proposed specific name for the taxon is derived from a local tribal woman ‘Sela’. The ‘Sela pass’ named after her who supported Indian soldier during the attack and invasion by Chinese army in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. For giving respect to the brave local girl-Sela, we chose her name to the newly defined macaque species which also a phylogenetic divergent of Arunachal macaque.

Population demography and phylogenetic position of Arunachal macaque and Sela macaque.
 (a) Bayesian skyline plots showing the trend of effective population size (Ne) of Arunachal macaque and Sela macaque. T is generation time. M. munzala and West Kameng population of M. selai showed declining trend of effective population size since last 2000 years while Upper Subansiri pop of M. selai showed expansion in last 8000 years followed by very recent decline. Scale in years.
(b) Bayesian phylogenetic tree of ‘sinica’ group of macaques using mitochondrial d-loop sequences. Rhesus macaque (M. mulatta) was considered as an outgroup. Three groups, i.e., M. munzala from Tawang, Upper Subansiri and West Kameng populations of M. selai showed significant divergence in term of their origin. Node time given in million years.

Avijit Ghosh, Mukesh Thakur, Sujeet K. Singh, Ritam Dutta,Lalit K. Sharma, Kailash Chandra and Dhriti Banerjee. 2022. The Sela Macaque (Macaca selai) is A Distinct Phylogenetic Species that evolved from the Arunachal Macaque following Allopatric Speciation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In Press, 107513. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107513

[Mammalogy • 2022] Cacajao amuna • Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics of Bald Uakaris, Genus Cacajao Lesson, 1840 (Primates: Pitheciidae), with the Description of A New Species

Cacajao amuna

 Silva, Amaral, Roos, Bowler, Röhe, Sampaio, Janiak, Bertuo, Santana, Souza Silva, Rylands, Gubili, Hrbek & Boubli, 2022

 

DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107509 

  twitter.com/Felipe_SilvaE 

Cacajao amuna

Kanamari White Uakari

  twitter.com/Felipe_SilvaE 

Highlights

• We revised the taxonomic classification of bald-headed uakaris, genus Cacajao.

• The use of a single mitochondrial marker did not recover the shallower relationships.

• ddRADseq phylogenetic analyses retrieved five lineages of bald-headed uakaris.

• We proposed a taxonomic arrangement with five species of bald-headed uakaris.

• A new species is described based on molecular and morphological information.

Abstract

Bald uakaris, genus Cacajao, are Amazonian primates currently classified as one species and four subspecies based on the patterns of pelage coloration. In this study, we test if their current taxonomy is represented by the phylogenetic relationship of the main lineages retrieved from molecular data. We included, for the first time, all bald uakari taxa in a mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and genome-wide (ddRAD) phylogenetic analyses. We also examined the pattern of pelage colouration in specimens from zoological collections. Having determined the number of lineages using Maximum Likelihood and the species tree using coalescent analyses, we test their divergence time using a Bayesian approach. While the cytochrome b analysis only recovered two clades, the ddRAD analysis supported the reciprocal monophyly of five lineages of bald uakaris, with all clades including only individuals with distinct and exclusive diagnostic phenotypic characters. We found that species diversification in Cacajao occurred during the last 300 Kya and may have been influenced by the formation of rivers and flooded forests in western Amazonia. We propose that the four bald uakari subspecies currently recognised can be upgraded to species level and we describe the white uakaris from the basin of the Rio Tarauacá as a new species.

 

Keywords: Amazon rainforest, Neotropical primates, Phylogenetic Species Concept, Pitheciinae, species delimitation

The five species of bald uakaris.
A – Cacajao amuna. B – Cacajao calvus. C – Cacajao novaesi. D – Cacajao rubicundus. E – Cacajao ucayalii.

Drawing by Stephen Nash. 

  twitter.com/Felipe_SilvaE 

 Cacajao calvus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1847) – White Bald Uakari

Cacajao rubicundus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and Deville, 1848) – Red Bald Uakari

 Cacajao ucayalii Thomas, 1928 – Ucayali Bald Uakari

Cacajao novaesi Hershkovitz, 1987 – Novaes’ Bald Uakari

The patterns of pelage colouration in Cacajao amuna sp. n. (top row)
and C. calvus (bottom row).

Cacajao amuna sp. n.

  Etymology: The new species is named in tribute to the Amuna-dyapas, a Kanamari subgroup of the Kanamaris do Rio Juruá Indigenous Territory (TI Kanamaris do Rio Juruá), on the right bank of the Rio Taraucá. “Amuna” is a Katukina vocative that means “uakari monkey”. We suggest the common name “the Kanamari White Uakari”.

Felipe Ennes Silva, João Valsecchi do Amaral, Christian Roos, Mark Bowler, Fabio Röhe, Ricardo Sampaio, Mareike Cora Janiak, Fabrício Bertuol, Marcelo Ismar Santana, José de Souza Silva Júnior, Anthony B. Rylands, Chrysoula Gubili, Tomas Hrbek, Allan D. McDevitt and Jean P. Boubli. 2022. Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics of Bald Uakaris, Genus Cacajao Lesson, 1840 (Primates: Pitheciidae), with the Description of A New Species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In Press, 107509. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107509 

Researchgate.net/publication/360634154_Molecular_phylogeny_and_systematics_of_Cacajao

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[Mammalogy • 2022] Is Malaysia’s “Mystery Monkey” A Hybrid between Nasalis larvatus and Trachypithecus cristatus? An Assessment of Photographs

“mystery monkey”  evidence for a possible hybridization event between Nasalis larvatus and Trachypithecus cristatus

in Lhota, Yap, Benedict, ... et Ruppert, 2022.

DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00293-z 

  facebook.com/MarkLouisBenedict 

Abstract

Interspecific hybridization in primates is common but hybridization between distantly related sympatric primate species is rarely observed in the wild. We present evidence for a possible hybridization event between Nasalis larvatus and Trachypithecus cristatus in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Sabah, through assessment of photographs. We used a set of categorical characters and metric measurements to compare the putative hybrid with the likely parent species. Nonmetric comparison showed that this “mystery monkey” is intermediate in several characters. Measurements of limb proportions on photographs showed that the brachial, humerofemoral, and intermembral indexes are above 100 for N. larvatus and below 100 for T. cristatus on all photographs, whereas the crural index is higher than 100 in both species and the distributions of this index in the two species overlap. Brachial and intermembral indices of the putative hybrid were similar to those of N. larvatus. Crural and humerofemoral indices were closer to the values for T. cristatus than those of N. larvatus. Multiple observers confirmed the occurrence of mixed-species groups in the area, and interspecific mating has been photographed. The putative hybrid is now an adult female and was last photographed in September 2020 with an infant and swollen breast, suggesting lactation. We propose further noninvasive fecal sampling for genetic analyses to confirm the origins of this “mystery monkey.” This case of hybridization may be related to anthropogenic changes to the landscape, whereby expansion of oil palm plantations confines N. larvatus and T. obscurus to narrow riverine forest patches along the Kinabatangan. This observation therefore also may have conservation implications, indicating limited mate access and dispersal opportunities for these threatened primates.

 

Keywords: Hybrid, Hybridization, Colobines, Proboscis monkey, Silvery lutung, Silvery langur, Interspecies interactions, Sabah

A. Juvenile “mystery monkey” near Kampung Bilit, Kinabatangan, Sabah, groomed by adult female Trachypithecus cristatus (likely the mother) (photo by Ken Ching, June 19, 2017). B. Subadult “mystery monkey,” alone (photo by Ben Duncan Angkee, November 17, 2018). In this photo, the individual may appear younger, because the phone camera had an automatic softening filter activated.

C. Subadult “mystery monkey,” alone, feeding (photo by Bob Shaw, November 17, 2018). D. Subadult “mystery monkey” with juvenile T. cristatus (in color change phase), adult female T. cristatus, and another T. cristatus individual while grooming (photo by Ken Ching, November 22, 2018).

 E. Adult male Nasalis larvatus mating with adult female T. cristatus in the same area (photo by Jean-Jay Mao, September 10, 2017). F. Adult putative hybrid now clearly identifiable as female with swollen breasts, holding an infant, which appears to be her offspring (photo by Nicole Lee, September 7, 2020)

Stanislav Lhota, Jo Leen Yap, Mark Louis Benedict, Ken Ching, Bob Shaw, Ben Duncan Angkee, Nicole Lee, Vendon Lee, Jean-Jay Mao and Nadine Ruppert. 2022. Is Malaysia’s “Mystery Monkey” A Hybrid between Nasalis larvatus and Trachypithecus cristatus? An Assessment of Photographs. International Journal of Primatology. DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00293-z

facebook.com/MarkLouisBenedict/posts/10227273555413697

 

[Mammalogy • 2022] Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus • A New Genus Name for Pygmy Lorises (Primates: Lorisidae)

Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus (Bonhote, 1907)

Photograph of wild adult male X. pygmaeus from Mondulkiri District, Cambodia and skull from Li Chau, Vietnam (FMNH 32499), compared with Nycticebus javanicus from Garut Regency, Indonesia and skull (RMNH14563) from South Java, Indonesia; and with Loris lydekkerianus nordicus from Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka and skull (FMNH95029) from Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
Features distinctive to Xanthonycticebus include yellowish-orange colour, mid-broad snout with long premaxilla, M2 larger than M1 and ears hairless at the tips

 in Nekaris & Nijman, 2022.

DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.81942

 twitter.com/littlefireface 

Abstract

Lorisiformes are nocturnal primates from Africa and Asia with four genera, with two (Arctocebus and Loris), three (Perodicticus) and nine (Nycticebus) recognised species. Their cryptic lifestyle and lack of study have resulted in an underappreciation of the variation at the species and genus level. There are marked differences between the pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus and the other Nycticebus species and, in the past, several authors have suggested that these may warrant recognition at the generic level. We here combine morphological, behavioural, karyotypical and genetic data to show that these contrasts are, indeed, significantly large and consistent. We propose Xanthonycticebus gen. nov. as a new genus name for the pygmy slow lorises and suggest a common name of pygmy lorises. Based on analysis of complete mitochondrial DNA sequences, we calculate the divergence of pygmy from slow lorises at 9.9–10.0%. The median date, calculated for the divergence between Xanthonycticebus and Nycticebus, is 10.5 Mya (range 4.9–21.0 Mya). Xanthonycticebus differs from Nycticebus by showing sympatry with other slow loris species, by habitually giving birth to twins, by showing seasonal body mass and whole body coat colour changes (absent in other species living at similar latitudes) and a multi-male, multi-female social system. Pygmy lorises are easily recognisable by the absence of hair on their ears and more protruding premaxilla. Xanthonycticebus is threatened by habitat loss and illegal trade despite legal protection across their range and all slow lorises are listed on appendix 1 of CITES. The suggested nomenclatural changes should not affect their legal status.

Key Words: conservation, cytotaxonomy, Lorisidae, Lorisiformes, primate taxonomy, Strepsirrhini

Order Primates Linnaeus, 1758

Suborder Strepsirhini É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812

Family Lorisidae Gray, 1821

Xanthonycticebus gen. nov.

Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus (Bonhote, 1907)

syn: Nycticebus pygmaeus Bonhote, 1907

Characteristics of pygmy loris Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus gen. nov. 

A. Photograph of wild adult male X. pygmaeus from Mondulkiri District, Cambodia and skull from Li Chau, Vietnam (FMNH 32499), compared with Nycticebus javanicus from Garut Regency, Indonesia and skull (RMNH14563) from South Java, Indonesia; and with Loris lydekkerianus nordicus from Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka and skull (FMNH95029) from Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. Features distinctive to Xanthonycticebus include yellowish-orange colour, mid-broad snout with long premaxilla, M2 larger than M1 and ears hairless at the tips; 

B. Neighbour-joining tree of 175 cytochrome b sequences (alignment 1,068 bp) of Nycticebus, Xanthonycticebus and Loris; 

C. Neighbour-joining tree of complete mtDNA sequences of Nycticebus, Xanthonycticebus and Loris, with Perodicticus as outgroup, showing considerable divergence of Xanthonycticebus from Nycticebus. 

All photographs courtesy of K.A.I. Nekaris.

Photograph of wild adult male  Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus from Mondulkiri District, Cambodia and skull from Li Chau, Vietnam (FMNH 32499),
compared with Nycticebus javanicus from Garut Regency, Indonesia and skull (RMNH14563) from South Java, Indonesia;
and with Loris lydekkerianus nordicus from Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka and skull (FMNH95029) from Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
Features distinctive to Xanthonycticebus include yellowish-orange colour, mid-broad snout with long premaxilla, M2 larger than M1 and ears hairless at the tips.

    

 

Diagnosis: Morphological synapomorphies to Xanthonycticebus include: (i) skull length consistently less than 55 mm, (ii) diastema between P2 and P3, (iii) long black ears, hairless at the tips (iv) relatively narrow interorbital distance compared to Nycticebus and (v) full seasonal coat colour change including almost complete loss of dorsal stripe (Fig. 1). The species is furthermore distinguished from Nycticebus species by giving birth habitually to twins, frequent sympatry with N. bengalensis (sensu lato) and more rapid locomotion. Regarding multiple births, this trait occurs with varying frequency in primates. Most of the marmosets and tamarins are polyovulatory and twins are the dominant litter size in the wild and most twins are considered dizygotic (Ward et al. 2014; Wahab et al. 2015). Old World monkeys, apes and humans are monovulatory species and while single births are the rule, multiple births do occasionally occur in various species, typically at a rate at, or below one percent (Geissmann 1990). Around two-thirds to three-quarters of these twins are estimated to be monozygotic (Geissmann 1990). This contrasts with twinning in strepsirrhines, as here all, or practically all, are dizygotic (Pasztor and Van Horn 1979). No other species of slow lorises are known to be sympatric, with their distribution similar to gibbons Hylobatidae Gray, 1870 and langurs Presbytina Gray, 1825, which, even though having more recent evolutionary histories, contain multiple genera (Rowe and Meyers 2016). Where nocturnal primate genera or species are sympatric, different locomotor strategies have evolved, allowing reduced competition (Charles-Dominique 1977). Additional differences, as well as those from Loris, are summarised in Table 1.

Etymology: The genus name Xanthonycticebus, masculine, refers to the species orange/ish overall colouration and their nocturnal activity pattern; Xanto, Gr. Yellowish-orange; nykt-, Gr., night; kêbos, Gr., monkey (Gainsford 2020). Currently, the most frequently used common name of this genus is pygmy slow loris, followed by the rarely used lesser slow loris or intermediary slow loris. For the common English name, we suggest pygmy loris in order to differentiate the new genus from the two other loris genera (slow and slender lorises). We acknowledge, however, that with the recognition of N. menagensis Munds, Nekaris and Ford 2013, from Borneo, with a minimum adult body mass of 265 g, the small size is no longer a unique feature of the pygmy loris. 

The most commonly-used name for pygmy lorises in Vietnamese is Cu li nhỏ, in Mnong, it is Tau kless, in Lao, it is Linh lom and in Chinese, it is 小懶猴 / Xiǎo lǎn hóu (Nijman and Nekaris 2016;Thạch et al. 2018).

K. Anne-Isola Nekaris and Vincent Nijman. 2022. A New Genus Name for Pygmy Lorises, Xanthonycticebus gen. nov. (Mammalia, Primates). Zoosystematics and Evolution. 98(1); 87-92. DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.81942

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