Paleogeography, Paleobiogeography, and Anthropoid Origins

Abstract

The study of anthropoid origins has long been tied to hypotheses postulating Eocene dispersal of early anthropoids or their precursors into Africa from Europe (e.g., Gingerich, 1975; Rasmussen and Simons, 1988), from Asia (e.g., Gingerich, 1980; Ciochon and Ghiarelli, 1980; Giochon et al., 1985; Rosenberger, 1986), or from South America (e.g., Szalay, 1976). Similarly, investigations of platyrrhine origins have focused on either a North American (e.g., Gingerich, 1980; Hoffstetter, 1972; Wood, 1980; Rosenberger, 1986) or an African source (e.g., Lavocat, 1974, 1980; Giochon and Chiarelli, 1980; Fleagle, 1986). These different scenarios have been based in large part on putative ancestor-descendant relationships and the identification of early anthropoids or protoanthropoids in the presumed source areas but also have relied on current understanding of temporal relationships between faunas and reconstructions of Eocene paleogeography and paleobiogeography to determine the probable timing, mode, and route of dispersal.