A new anthropoid from the latest middle Eocene of Pondaung, central Myanmar

Abstract

A new genus and species of medium-sized fossil primate, Myanmarpithecus yarshensis, is described from the lastest middle Eocene sediments of Pondaung, central Myanmar (Burma). The specimens consist of right maxillary fragments with P4–M3and a left mandibular corpus with C–P3and M2–3. To date, three purported anthropoids have been discovered from the Pondaung Formation: Pondaungia andAmphipithecus (Amphipithecidae) and Bahinia (Eosimiidae). Myanmarpithecus differs from these other Pondaung primates in having cingular hypocones on upper molars and in lacking paraconids on M2–3. AlthoughMyanmarpithecus resembles some utahiin omomyines in superficial aspects of the morphology of M2–3(i.e., mesiodistally compressed molar trigonid and enamel crenulation), the morphological analysis of upper molars and lower premolars indicates that it is neither an omomyoid nor an adapoid but is more derived than fossil prosimians (such as adapoids, omomyoids, and tarsiers) and more anthropoid-like. On the other hand, it is more primitive (prosimian-like) than early anthropoids from the late Eocene/early Oligocene of the Fayum, Egypt. Myanmarpithecus is likely to be an early, primitive anthropoid (“protoanthropoid”).