Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in canine/premolar tooth size and in body size is found among many species of living primates and has been shown to be correlated with social organization. Among extant higher primate species that normally live in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair with their offspring, adult males and females are similar in body size and in the size of canine and anterior premolar teeth. In contrast, higher primate species living in more ‘complex’ polygynous groups (either single-male harems or multi-male groups) are characterized by sexual dimorphism in the size of canine/premolar teeth and frequently by body size dimorphism as well1–4. We provide here the first evidence for sexual dimorphism in three species of primates from the Oligocene of Egypt—Aegyptopiihecus zeuxis, Propliopithecus chirobates, and Apidium phiomense. This is the earliest record of sexual dimorphism among higher primates and suggests, by analogy with living species, that the earliest known fossil Old World anthropoids lived in polygynous (either single-male harems or multi-male groups) rather than monogamous social groups.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Glutton-Brock, T. H., Harvey, P. H. & Rudder, B. Nature 269, 797–800 (1977).
Leutenegger, W. & Kelly, J. T. Primates 18, 177–186 (1977).
Gautier-Hion, A. Mammalia 39, 365–374 (1975).
Harvey, P. H., Kavanagh, M. & Clutton-Brock, T. H. J. Zool. 186, 475–485 (1978).
Simons, E. L. Nature 205, 135–139 (1967).
Simons, E. L. Primate Evolution (Macmillan, New York, 1972).
Gingerich, P. D. Paleont. Zh. 52, 82–92 (1978).
Szalay, F. S. & Delson, E. Evolutionary History of the Primates (Academic, New York, 1979).
Fleagle, J. G. & Simons, E. L. Nature 276, 705–707 (1978).
Fleagle, J. G. & Simons, E. L. Folia primatol. 31, 176–186 (1979).
Pilbeam, D. R. & Zwell, M. Yb. phys. Anthrop. 16, 69–79 (1973).
Gingerich, P. D. & Schoeninger, M. J. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 51, 457–466 (1979).
Fleagle, J. G. & Mittermeier, R. A. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 32, 301–314 (1980).
Kay, R. F. thesis, Yale Univ. (1973).
Jolly, A. The Evolution of Primate Behavior (Macmillan, New York, 1972).
Wright, P. C. Folia primatol. 29, 43–55 (1978).
Stott, K. Jr & Selsor, C. J. Mammalia 25, 184–189 (1961).
McCann, C. H. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 36, 395–405 (1933).
Eisenberg, J. F. The Biology and Conservation of the Callitrichidae, 13–22 (Smithsonian Inst., Washington, 1977).
Eisenberg, J. F. in Primate Ecology and Human Origins 215–262 (Garland STPM, New York, 1979).
Richarz, K. in Perspectives in Primate Biology (in preparation).
Schlosser, M. Beitr. Paläont. Geol. Öst.-Ung. 6, 1–227 (1911).
Gregory, W. K. The Origin and Evolution of the Human Dentition (Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1922).
Simons, E. L. Nature 205, 135–139 (1965).
Kinzey, W. G. Am. Anthrop. 73, 680–694 (1971).
Kurtén, B. Not From the Apes (Pantheon, New York, 1972).
Delson, E. Actes C.N.R.S. Coll. int. 28, 839–850 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fleagle, J., Kay, R. & Simons, E. Sexual dimorphism in early anthropoids. Nature 287, 328–330 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287328a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/287328a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.