Pliopithecus Temporal range:
Miocene,
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Mandible fragment of Pliopithecus antiquus from Sansan, France; cast from Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Haplorhini |
Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
Family: | † Pliopithecidae |
Subfamily: | † Pliopithecinae |
Genus: | †
Pliopithecus Gervais, 1849 |
Paleospecies | |
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Pliopithecus (meaning "more ape") is a genus of extinct primates of the Miocene. It was discovered in 1837 by Édouard Lartet (1801–1871) in France, with fossils subsequently discovered in Switzerland, Slovakia and Spain.
Pliopithecus had a similar size and form to modern gibbons, to which it may be related, although it is probably not a direct ancestor. It had long limbs, hands, and feet, and may have been able to brachiate, swinging between trees using its arms. Unlike gibbons, it had a short tail, and only partial stereoscopic vision. [1]
They appear to have originated in Asia and extended their range into Europe between 20 and 17 million years ago. [2]
Begun and Harrison list the following species within the genus: [2]
Pliopithecus antiquus has been referred to previously as P. piveteaui. [3] P. vindobonensis is sometimes considered to be a separate genus, Epipliopithecus. [4] [2] Anapithecus is a close relative and was initially considered a subgenus of Pliopithecus.
Synonym: Pliopithecus piveteaui Hürzeler 1954