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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Additional fossil Theropithecus from Hopefield, South Africa: a comparison with other African sites and a reevaluation of its taxonomic status.

Additional fossil Theropithecus remains, recovered from mid to late Pleistocene deposits near Hopefield , South Africa, include portions of the jaws of at least five individuals. Extensive comparisons with fossil Theropithecus from other African sites, including Makapan , Swartkrans , Kanjera , Olorgesailie , and Olduvai , reveal few morphological differences, especially when variation in modern gelada baboons ( Theropithecus gelada ) and savannah baboons (Papio) is considered. The most pronounced differences between fossil forms are overall size and relative P3 length. However, these traits do not separate the fossil forms either chronologically or geographically. Other traits, such as depth of the fossa of the mandibular corpus, slope of the upper symphyseal shelf, and variation in the depth of the mandibular corpus, do not distinguish alleged primitive forms ( Makapan and lower beds at Olduvai ) from remains found at Hopefield , Swartkrans , Kanjera , Olorgesailie , Olduvai Bed IV, or the lower Ndutu Beds. Other traits, such as canine crown height and incisor size, are poorly documented for fossil Theropithecus . Thus, the available evidence suggests that Theropithecus darti and its successional species, T. oswaldi , can best be considered as a single fossil species, T. oswaldi , of which the remains from Hopefield are a late representative. Furthermore, lack of morphological differences dictates that Hopefield Theropithecus not be considered a distinct subspecies. Variation within the Hopefield sample shows that only one taxa is found at this site. Hypothesized physical and climatic conditions at Hopefield during the Pleistocene suggest that T. oswaldi lived near vleis or fresh water lagoons. Comparisons with modern T. gelada suggest a graminivorous diet for the fossil form.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Occurrence of Theropithecus sp. in the Late Villafranchian of Southern Italy and implication for Early Pleistocene "out of Africa" dispersals.

Three cervical vertebrae of a large primate have been identified in the revision of the faunal assemblage collected during the late '70s from fissure fillings in the area known as Pirro Nord in southern Italy. By size the three vertebrae are comparable to the large fossil species Theropithecus oswaldi, however we prefer here to attribute the remains to Theropithecus sp. The Pirro Nord Theropithecus represents the second finding outside of Africa of this genus in association with Megantereon whitei, after the site of 'Ubeidiya. The biochronology of Pirro Nord faunal assemblage demonstrates that the arrival into Europe of Theropithecus occurred earlier than thought: in the range of approx 1.6-1.3 Ma. The identification of an European "African assemblage" (Theropithecus associated with Megantereon whitei) has consequences for interpretation of an "out of Africa" (genus Homo) event around the Plio-Pleistocene transition.

Africa↗
PubMed2006

Cercopithecoid cervical vertebral morphology and implications for the presence of Theropithecus in early Pleistocene Europe.

While it is recognized that the overall configuration of the vertebral column, as well as the size and shape of individual vertebrae, differ within and between primate taxa, relatively little is known about the degree to which vertebral morphology reflects a phylogenetic signal or the degree to which vertebral elements can be used in accurate taxonomic classification. Isolated vertebrae are occasionally found in fossil assemblages, and proper taxonomic identification is necessary to make inferences about the animal's biology and place it in a broader phylogenetic and evolutionary context. Recently, three large primate cervical vertebrae (C3, C5, and C6) from Pirro Nord, Italy (early Pleistocene, late Villafranchian) were attributed to the genus Theropithecus based on size comparisons with extant cercopithecoid primates (Rook et al., 2004, J. Hum. Evol. 47, 267-277). These fossils were suggested to indicate an early dispersal of this genus out of Africa around 1.6-1.3 Ma possibly co-incident with early Pleistocene dispersals of Homo. Because of the potential importance of these fossils for interpreting Theropithecus evolution and the relatively few morphological data on primate cervical vertebral morphology, we examined the size and shape of cervical vertebrae in a large sample of extant cercopithecoid taxa (n=106). Specifically, we evaluated whether subfamily and genus level assignments can be made on the basis of isolated cervical elements. Discriminant analyses reveal that scaled shape variables are good discriminators of taxonomic affinity at the subfamily level but are poor discriminators at the genus level. Least-squares regressions show that raw linear dimensions of cervical vertebral morphology are good predictors of body mass in the extant sample. Our regression results produce a likely body mass estimate of 22-38 kg for the Pirro Nord cervical vertebrae. Based on these regression estimates, the poor ability to discriminate cervical vertebrae at the genus level, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions of Pirro Nord, it is unlikely that the Pirro Nord fossils can be confidently attributed to the genus Theropithecus. These findings have important implications for recent interpretations of the nature of Theropithecus dispersal out of Africa.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A reappraisal of the locomotion and habitat preference of Theropithecus oswaldi.

The one modern member of the genus Theropithecus, T. gelada (Primates, Cercopithecidae), inhabits grassland and is highly terrestrial. It is often supposed that Theropithecus oswaldi, one of the most common primates of the Plio-Pleistocene of East and southern Africa, was also a highly terrestrial open habitat species. Ecomorphic analysis was used to assess the locomotor strategy and habitat preference of T. oswaldi, and it was found that this species was unlikely to have had a locomotor strategy and habitat preference identical to that of T. gelada, with T. oswaldi possibly using arboreal substrates in a manner similar to some modern baboon groups. Thus, it appears that there has been considerable ecological diversity in the genus Theropithecus over the course of its evolution, mirroring the diversity evident in the hominin fossil record.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Theropithecus atlanticus (Thomas, 1884) (Primates: Cercopithecidae) from the late Pliocene of Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Morocco.

The site of Ahl al Oughlam near Casablanca, Morocco, dated to ca. 2.5 Ma, has yielded a good sample of Theropithecus atlanticus (Thomas, 1884), a North African late Pliocene species previously known only by its holotype, a lower molar from Algeria. Theropithecus atlanticus, which can now be much better defined, is clearly distinct from other species of the genus, which is thus more diverse than previously thought. The mandible of T. atlanticus has a very characteristic deep and long post-molar sulcus and a deep and well excavated supra-lateral triangular depression of the ramus, with a sharp postero-inferior ridge. The upper and lower canines are rather large but low. The male P3 is very wide, with well developed posterior crests; the P4 is rounded, with a large talonid and weak notches and clefts. Median lingual notches of the lower molars form an acute angle. Although our incomplete knowledge of T. atlanticus precludes a detailed phylogenetic analysis, we suggest that it arose by cladogenesis from the T. darti-T. oswaldi lineage; it is replaced by the latter species in the Pleistocene.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

A new skeleton of Theropithecus brumpti (Primates: Cercopithecidae) from Lomekwi, West Turkana, Kenya.

A relatively complete skeleton of the fossil papionin, Theropithecus brumpti, from the site of Lomekwi, west of Lake Turkana, Kenya, is here described. The specimen, KNM-WT 39368, was recovered at the site of LO 5 (3 degrees 51'N and 35 degrees 45'E), from sediments dated to approximately 3.3Ma. The skeleton is that of an old adult male and preserves a number of articulated elements, including most of the forelimbs and tail. The cranial morphology is that of a large, early T. brumpti, exhibiting a deep mandible with a deeply excavated mandibular corpus fossa, and mandibular alveoli and cheek teeth arrayed in a reversed Curve of Spee. The forelimb skeleton exhibits a unique mixture of characteristics generally associated with a terrestrial locomotor habitus, such as a narrow scapula and a highly stable elbow joint, combined with those more representative of habitual arborealists, such as muscle attachments reflecting a large rotator cuff musculature and a flexible shoulder joint. The forelimb of KNM-WT 39368 also presents several features, unique toTheropithecus, which represent adaptations for manual grasping and fine manipulation. These features include a large, retroflexed medial humeral epicondyle (to which large pronator, and carpal and digital flexor muscles attached) and proportions of the digital rays that denote capabilities for precise opposition between the thumb and index finger. Taken together, these features indicate that one of the earliest recognized representatives of Theropithecus exhibited the food harvesting and processing anatomy that distinguished the genus through time and that contributed to its success throughout the later Pliocene and Pleistocene. Based on the anatomy of KNM-WT 39368 and the known habitat preference of T. brumpti, the species is reconstructed as being a generally terrestrial but highly dexterous, very large-bodied, sexually dimorphic, and possibly folivorous papionin. T. brumpti was adapted for propulsive quadrupedal locomotion over generally even ground, and yet was highly adept at manual foraging. The estimate of 43.8kg body mass for KNM-WT 39368 renders unlikely the possibility that the species, or at least adult males of the species, were highly arboreal. T. brumpti, as represented by KNM-WT 39368, is seen as a large, colorfully decorated, and basically terrestrial papionin that was restricted to riverine forest habitats in the Lake Turkana Basin from the middle to latest Pliocene.

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PubMed2003

Sleep and social status in captive gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada).

Sleep was investigated in 10 captive gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada), belonging to two harem groups by continuous infrared video recording (n = 4 males, n = 3 females, n = 3 juveniles). The aim was to investigate the relation between sleep and social status. Social status was assessed during daytime activities, when the two harem groups interacted. Three behavioral states (waking, transitional sleep and relaxed sleep) as well as sleep fragmentation were scored based on movements and body posture. The individuals belonging to each of the harem groups spent most of the night huddled closely together within a sleeping cluster. Sleep was considerably fragmented in all adult and sub-adult individuals. No relation was found between sleep latency or sleep fragmentation and social rank. Total sleep time was 11.4 +/- 0.5 h per night (n = 10) and was negatively correlated with age. In the four males sleep duration was unrelated to their social rank, whereas both within the females and the juveniles it increased with decreasing rank. The amount of relaxed sleep was lower in the dominant males and the dominant females compared to the corresponding low-ranking ones. In contrast, dominant males had the highest amount of transitional sleep, while in the females no rank-association was evident. These results indicate that the high-ranking geladas engaging less in a relaxed sleeping posture may be maintaining a larger degree of alertness that would enable them to react quickly to nocturnal dangers.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Fibrinopeptides A and B of baboons (Papio anubis, Papio hamadryas, and Theropithecus gelada): their amino acid sequences and evolutionary rates and a molecular phylogeny for the baboons.

Amino acid sequences of fibrinopeptides A and B from savanna baboons, Papio anubis and Papio hamadryas, and highland baboon, Theropithecus gelada, were established. The sequences of the fibrinopeptides A from the three baboons were identical: (sequence: see text) The fibrinopeptides B were composed of 9 residues and demonstrated the sequence: (sequence see text) where X3 = Arg in P. anubis, His in P. hamadryas, and Gly in Th. gelada. Position-3 of the B peptides was the only replacement site observed among the 25 amino acid residues in both fibrinopeptides from the baboons. Based on these sequences, a molecular phylogeny for the three species of baboons was deduced. The evolutionary rates of the peptides B of the baboons and macaques were also estimated. It was observed that the fibrinopeptides changed at an uneven rate during the evolution of old-world monkeys, i.e., baboons and macaques.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Identification in gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada) of a distinct simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 with a broad range of Western blot reactivity.

Antibodies to simian T-cell lymphotropic virus (STLV) were found in serum or plasma from 12 of 23 (52.2 %) gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada) captive in US zoos. A variety of Western blot (WB) profiles was seen in the 12 seroreactive samples, including human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1-like (n=5, 41.7 %), HTLV-2-like (n=1, 8.3 %), HTLV-untypable (n=4, 33.3 %) and indeterminate (n=2, 16.6 %) profiles. Phylogenetic analysis of tax or env sequences that had been PCR amplified from peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA available from nine seropositive geladas showed that four were infected with identical STLV-1s; these sequences clustered with STLV-1 from Celebes macaques and probably represent recent cross-species infections. The tax sequences from the five remaining geladas were also identical and clustered with STLV-3. Analysis of the complete STLV-3 genome (8917 bp) from one gelada, TGE-2117, revealed that it is unique, sharing only 62 % similarity with HTLV-1/ATK and HTLV-2/Mo. STLV-3/TGE-2117 was closest genetically to STLV-3 from an Eritrean baboon (STLV-3/PH969, 95.6 %) but more distant from STLV-3s from red-capped mangabeys from Cameroon and Nigeria (STLV-3/CTO-604, 87.7 %, and STLV-3/CTO-NG409, 87.2 %, respectively) and Senegalese baboons (STLV-3/PPA-F3, 88.4 %). The genetic relatedness of STLV-3/TGE-2117 to STLV-3 was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated gag-pol-env-tax sequence (6795 bp). An ancient origin of 73 628-109 809 years ago for STLV-3 was estimated by molecular clock analysis of third-codon positions of gag-pol-env-tax sequences. LTR sequences from five STLV-3-positive geladas were >99 % identical and clustered with that from a Papio anubisxP. hamadryas hybrid Ethiopian baboon, suggesting a common source of STLV-3 in these sympatric animals. LTR sequences obtained 20 years apart from a mother-infant pair were identical, providing evidence of both mother-to-offspring transmission and a high genetic stability of STLV-3. Since STLV-3-infected primates show a range of HTLV-like WB profiles and have an ancient origin, further studies using STLV-3-specific testing are required to determine whether STLV-3 infects humans, especially in regions of Africa where STLV-3 is endemic.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Comparison of spatial and orientational relationships as manifestations of divergent modes of social organization in captive groups of Mandrillus sphinx and Theropithecus gelada.

Recent theories of nonhuman primate social organization and behavior suggest the existence of two primary modes of attention. In centripetal social groups attention is directed inward toward the group, ultimately to the dominant male. In acentric social groups attention is directed outward toward the surrounding environment. Such fundamental differences in postulated attention structure promote extreme, but predictable, variability in spatial relationships and social organization between primates displaying opposing modes. This difference is tested in two species of Old World monkeys, Mandrillus sphinx and Theropithecus gelada (subfamily Cercopithecinae), and shown to be that individuals in strongly centripetal groups remain closer to their dominant males than individuals in weakly centripetal groups. Correlations with other socioecological factors, including visual attention and body orientation are also demonstrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

On palmar and plantar pattern variability of the two baboon genera Papio and Theropithecus.

In general the results of the investigators Biegert (1961) and Gladkova (1958), concerning the palm and sole skin patterns in baboons can be confirmed, and some features can serve to distinguish some of the species in a very characteristic manner. The findings of our investigations of the papillary system substantiate the proposed taxonomic classification for baboons by Buettner-Janusch in 1966. The value and significance of the inter- and intra-species differences in baboons, with regard to morphological and quantified pattern analysis, could be fully evaluated when further comparisons of the presented data are accomplished and compared with those of other primate species and families.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Vocalizations of adult gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada): acoustic structure and behavioural context.

Vocalizations and accompanying behaviors of adult gelada baboons were studied in four one-male groups kept in large outdoor enclosures in the zoos of Stuttgart and Rheine. Twenty-two acoustically different vocal patterns were determined. According to behavioural context, they were grouped into two categories: (1) contact calls and (2) aggressive and defensive calls. Frequency of calling and the production of different vocalizations were related to social rank and to the age of the sender. Vocalizations in species of the closely related genera Papio and Macaca are compared and their evolution is discussed.

Age Factors↗