Palaeoecological differences underlie rare co-occurrence of Miocene European primates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The two main primate groups recorded throughout the European Miocene, hominoids and pliopithecoids, seldom co-occur. Due to both their rarity and insufficiently understood palaeoecology, it is currently unclear whether the infrequent co-occurrence of these groups is due to sampling bias or reflects different ecological preferences. Here we rely on the densely sampled primate-bearing sequence of Abocador de Can Mata (ACM) in Spain to test whether turnovers in primate assemblages are correlated with palaeoenvironmental changes. We reconstruct dietary evolution through time (ca. 12.6-11.4 Ma), and hence climate and habitat, using tooth-wear patterns and carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of enamel of the ubiquitous musk-deer Micromeryx.

Results

Our results reveal

SUBMITTER: DeMiguel D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7814646 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature