The Primate Fossil Record

Essential volume presenting all primate fossils discovered so far in a comprehensive reference volume.

Walter Carl Hartwig (Edited by)

9780521081412, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 18 September 2008

552 pages, 454 b/w illus. 19 tables
27.9 x 21 x 2.8 cm, 1.23 kg

'… this volume succeeds brilliantly as a reference source. It will be a welcome companion for paleo-primatologists for the next two decades … another very positive element of this volume are the numerous high-quality photographs and line drawings of fossil material.' Journal of Paleontology

A comprehensive treatment of primate paleontology. Profusely illustrated and up to date, it captures the complete history of the discovery and interpretation of primate fossils. The chapters range from primate origins to the advent of anatomically modern humans. Each emphasizes three key components of the record of primate evolution: history of discovery, taxonomy of the fossils, and evolution of the adaptive radiations they represent. The Primate Fossil Record summarizes objectively the many intellectual debates surrounding the fossil record and provides a foundation of reference information on the last two decades of astounding discoveries and worldwide field research for physical anthropologists, paleontologists and evolutionary biologists.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction to the primate fossil record Walter Carl Hartwig
2. The origin of primates David Tab Rasmussen
Part I. The Earliest Primates and the Fossil Record of Prosimians: 3. The earliest fossil primates and the evolution of prosimians Herbert H. Covert
4. Adapiformes: phylogeny and adaptation Daniel L. Gebo
5. Tarsiiformes: evolutionary history and adaptation Gregg F. Gunnell and Kenneth D. Rose
6. Fossil lorisoids Erica Phillips and Alan C. Walker
7. Quaternary fossil lemurs Laurie R. Godfrey and William L. Jungers
Part II. The Origin and Diversification of Anthropoid Primates: 8. The origin and diversification of anthropoid primates - introduction Marian Dagosto
9. Basal anthropoids K. Christopher Beard
10. Platyrrhine paleontology and systematics: the paradigm shifts Alfred L. Rosenberger
11. Early platyrrhines of southern South America John G. Fleagle and Marcelo F. Tejedor
12. Miocene platyrrhines of the northern neotropics Walter Carl Hartwig and D. Jeffrey Meldrum
13. Extinct Quaternary platyrrhines of the Greater Antilles and Brazil Ross D. E. MacPhee and Ines Horovitz
Part III. The Fossil Record of the Early Catarrhines and Old World Monkeys: 14. Early catarrhines of the African Eocene and Oligocene David Tab Rasmussen
15. The Pliopithecoidea David Begun
16. The Victoriapithecidae, Cercopithecoidea Brenda Benefit and Monte L. McCrossin
17. Fossil Old World monkeys: the Late Neogene radiation Nina G. Jablonski
Part IV. The Fossil Record of Hominoid Primates: 18. Perspectives on the Miocene Hominoidea David R. Pilbeam
19. Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene catarrhines from Afro-Arabia Terry Harrison
20. European hominoids David Begun
21. The hominoid radiation in Asia Jay Kelley
22. Middle and Late Miocene African hominoids Steven C. Ward and Dana Duren
Part V. The Fossil Record of Human Ancestry: 23. Introduction to the fossil record of human ancestry Henry M. McHenry
24. Earliest hominids Tim D. White
25. Early genus Homo Holly Dunsworth and Alan C. Walker
26. Migrations, radiations and continuity: patterns in the evolution of Middle and Late Pleistocene humans Fred Smith
References cited
Index.

Subject Areas: Palaeontology [RBX], Primates [PSVW79], Physical anthropology [JHMP]