Description:
Abstract: Pondaungia cotteri is the largest primate known from the Late Middle Eocene Pondaung
Formation, Myanmar. Its taxonomic status has been the subject of much debate because of the
fragmentary nature of its remains. Initially described as an anthropoid, some authors recently have
associated it with adapid primates. These debates have been fueled not only by the incompleteness
of the fossils attributed to Pondaungia but also by the reticence of many authors to regard Asia as
an important evolutionary theater for Eocene anthropoids. During the November 1998
Myanmar-French Pondaung Expedition, a right lower jaw was discovered that yields the most nearly
complete dentition of Pondaungia cotteri ever found: it shows the complete horizontal ramus,
alveoli for the second incisor and canine, three premolars, and three molars. The symphysis showed
all characteristics of anthropoids but was unfused. The canine root is large, the first premolar is
absent, and the second premolar is single-rooted, reduced, and oblique in the tooth row, as in
anthropoids. The premolars show a reduced mesio-distal length compared with the tooth row, and
their morphology is very similar to that of Amphipithecus mogaungensis. Therefore, the two
Pondaung taxa appear to be closely related to each other, with Siamopithecus as their sister taxon
Source/publisher:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS): Vol. 97, No. 8, 41024105, April 11, 2000
Date of Publication:
2000-04-11
Date of entry:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English