The Italian fossil primate record: Recent finds and their geological context

Abstract

The fossil Primates (other than Homo)) from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pleistocene found in Italybelong to the superfamilies Hominoidea and Cercopithecoidea. Both have been known since the 19th century. The Hominoids are represented solely by the endemic Oreopithecus bambolii,, the Cercopithecoids by one colobine ( Mesopithecus)) and one cercopithecine ( Macaca)). A better understanding of these three taxa is expected to be obtained from the study of several recent finds. Oreopithecus bambolii is part of the “Maremmian” fauna peculiar to the Late Miocene in Italy. Most finds have come from the Bacinello lignite mine in the province of Grosseto, where recent discoveries have allowed a direct comparison to be made between specimens from different levels in the sedimentary succession. Mesopithecus is a small to medium-sized Late Miocene to Middle Pliocene colobine represented by two species in both Southern and Central Europe: M. pentelicus occurs in four Italian Miocene sites, whereas the younger M. monspessulanus for the moment is confined to Villafranca d'Asti (Early Villafranchian), where a new specimen has recently been discovered. Previously Macaca fossils from the Middle Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene of Italy have been divided into two species: M. florentina,, which is probably related to the living M. sylvanus,, and M. majori,, an endemic dwarf species from Sardinia. The latest finds are those of 8 individuals, provisionally regarded as belonging to the M. florentina-sylvanus lineage, and discovered in association with a Late Villafranchian (Early Pleistocene) vertebrate fauna in a lignite mine at Pietrafitta, Province of Perugia. This welldated collection comprises both gnathic and postcranial fragments and should serve to provide a major contribution towards the understanding of the still problematical taxonomy, phylogeny and palaeoecology of this species.