The fossil Primates (other than Homo) that recur in Italy, from Late Miocene to Middle Pleistocene, are belonging to both Hominoidea and Cercopithecoidea superfamilies, as known since the 19th century. The Hominoids are exclusively represented by the endemic Oreopithecus bambolii, while the Cercopithecoids by one colobine genus (Mesopithecus) and a cercopithecine one (Macaca). A better insight over all three taxa is expected by studing several recent finds. Oreopithecus bambolii is part of the "Maremmian" fauna that is peculiar in the Late Miocene of Italy. Most of these finds have come from the Bacinello lignite mine near Grosseto, where the hominoid specimens allowed to compare between different levels across the sedimentary basin. Mesopithecus is small to medium-sized colobine represented by two species through Southern and Central Europe, from Late Miocene to Middle Pliocene. In Italy, M. pentelicus occurs in four Miocene sites, while the younger M. monspessulanus is still confined only to the (Early) Villafranchian-type succession (Triversa F.U.), at Villafranca d'Asti. A new find is first reported from there in well-defined stratigraphic context. Previous macacine fossils, as recurring through Italy from Middle Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene, had been distributed into two species: M. florentina, which probably relate to the living M. sylvanus, and M. majori, an endemic dwarf species from Sardinia. Most recent finds are from 8 individuals, provisionally attributed to the M. florentina-sylvanus lineage, as discovered in association with a Late Villafranchian (Early Pleistocene) vertebrate fauna, in a lignite mine at Pietrafitta (Perugia). This well-dated sample comprises both gnathic and skeletal fragments and should thus provide a major insight as the taxonomy, phylogeny and palaeoecology of this species.
The Italian fossil primate record: recent finds and their geologicalcontext.
MOTTURA, Alberto;
1998-01-01
Abstract
The fossil Primates (other than Homo) that recur in Italy, from Late Miocene to Middle Pleistocene, are belonging to both Hominoidea and Cercopithecoidea superfamilies, as known since the 19th century. The Hominoids are exclusively represented by the endemic Oreopithecus bambolii, while the Cercopithecoids by one colobine genus (Mesopithecus) and a cercopithecine one (Macaca). A better insight over all three taxa is expected by studing several recent finds. Oreopithecus bambolii is part of the "Maremmian" fauna that is peculiar in the Late Miocene of Italy. Most of these finds have come from the Bacinello lignite mine near Grosseto, where the hominoid specimens allowed to compare between different levels across the sedimentary basin. Mesopithecus is small to medium-sized colobine represented by two species through Southern and Central Europe, from Late Miocene to Middle Pliocene. In Italy, M. pentelicus occurs in four Miocene sites, while the younger M. monspessulanus is still confined only to the (Early) Villafranchian-type succession (Triversa F.U.), at Villafranca d'Asti. A new find is first reported from there in well-defined stratigraphic context. Previous macacine fossils, as recurring through Italy from Middle Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene, had been distributed into two species: M. florentina, which probably relate to the living M. sylvanus, and M. majori, an endemic dwarf species from Sardinia. Most recent finds are from 8 individuals, provisionally attributed to the M. florentina-sylvanus lineage, as discovered in association with a Late Villafranchian (Early Pleistocene) vertebrate fauna, in a lignite mine at Pietrafitta (Perugia). This well-dated sample comprises both gnathic and skeletal fragments and should thus provide a major insight as the taxonomy, phylogeny and palaeoecology of this species.
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