Euarchontoglires
Primates
Primate research
- Evidence from the study of brain endocasts of extant and extinct mammals, indicative of cortical expansion in the areas of the brain involved in producing cognitive functions that began early on during the primate evolution, is presented by Melchionna et al. (2025), who argue that selection for complex cognition likely drove the evolution of primate brains. [10]
- Lang et al. (2025) study the size of the olfactory bulbs in extant and fossil members of Euarchontoglires, and report evidence of a reduction of the olfactory bulb size at the base of the primate crown group, as well as subsequent reductions in different primate groups. [11]
- Evidence from the study of the anatomy of manubria and sternebrae of extant and fossil simians, indicating that the anatomy of the sternum can provide information on the form of the thorax and the positional repertoire of the clavicles in fossil simians, is presented by Middleton, Alwell & Ward (2025). [12]
- A study on tooth wear and probable diets of Miocene and Pliocene Old World monkeys from the Turkana Basin (Kenya) is published by Fehringer et al. (2025). [13]
- Brasil et al. (2025) revise the species-level taxonomy of South African Parapapio , and argue that the available evidence does not support assignment of the studied fossil material to more than one species. [14]
- A study on the ulnar morphology of Pliobates cataloniae , providing evidence of an extensive range of movement in the forearm, is published by Raventós-Izard et al. (2025). [15]
- Kithinji, Kikuchi & Nakatsukasa (2025) describe a catarrhine talus from the Miocene strata from the Nachola site (Kenya), likely belonging to a member of the genus Nyanzapithecus , and interpret its anatomy as indicating that Nyanzapithecus was less agile while walking and running in the trees than extant Old World monkeys of similar size. [16]
- Pugh, Strain & Gilbert (2025) study the anatomy of teeth of Samburupithecus kiptalami and interpret it as a late-occurring African member of the family Oreopithecidae. [17]
- A study on the morphology of the lumbar vertebrae of Ekembo nyanzae , Morotopithecus bishopi and Pierolapithecus catalaunicus , and on its implications for the knowledge of the locomotion of the studied apes, is published by Williams et al. (2025). [18]
- A study on the morphology and affinities of Kapi ramnagarensis is published by Gilbert et al. (2025), who interpret the studied primate as a stem-hylobatid. [19]
- A study on the tooth wear of Lufengpithecus lufengensis , providing evidence of a diet that included tough foods such as leaves, is published by Fan et al. (2025). [20]
- Evidence from the study of faciodental remains of pongines from northern Vietnam, interpreted as consistent with the presence of two large and two small species of orangutans during the Late Pleistocene, is presented by Cameron et al. (2025). [21]
General paleoanthropology
- Lawrence, Hammond & Ward (2025) compare the orientation of the acetabulum in fossil hominins and extant primates, reporting evidence of humanlike condition in early Australopithecus. [22]
- Evidence from the study of nitrogen and carbonate carbon isotope composition of tooth enamel of Australopithecus from the Sterkfontein Member 4 (South Africa), interpreted as indicating that the studied specimens had a plant-based diet and did not regularly eat mammalian meat, is presented by Lüdecke et al. (2025). [23]
- Madupe et al. (2025) provide evidence of protein preservation in tooth enamel of the Australopithecus africanus specimen Sts 63 from Sterkfontein Member 4, and identify the studied individual as a male. [24]
- A study on the surface organization of the endocast of the Taung Child is published by Hurst et al. (2025). [25]
- Evidence of morphological variation among maxillae of specimens of Australopithecus afarensis from Hadar (Ethiopia), possibly linked to sexual dimorphism, is presented by Hanegraef & Spoor (2025). [26]
- Zanolli et al. (2025) study the anatomy and affinities of the Pleistocene hominin mandible SK 15 from Swartkrans Member 2, South Africa (the holotype of Telanthropus capensis ), and interpret this specimen as belonging to a previously unrecognized species of Paranthropus , P. capensis. [27]
- A study on the morphology of the oval window in Paranthropus robustus , interpreted as spanning the ape-human spectrum, is published by Fernandez & Braga (2025). [28]
- Fossil material of a young adult hominin specimen, including a complete tibia and a nearly complete femur articulating with a partial hip bone, is described from the Hanging Remnant of the Swartkrans Formation (South Africa) by Pickering et al. (2025), who assign the studied individual to the species Paranthropus robustus. [29]
- Evidence from the study of paleosols from the hominin and archaeological sites from the Gona Paleoanthropological Project area (Ethiopia) ranging from the Oldowan to the Late Stone Age, interpreted as indicative of reliance of hominins on riverine ecosystem edge and gallery forest resources throughout their evolutionary history, is presented by Stinchcomb, Rogers & Semaw (2025). [30]
- Curran et al. (2025) describe cut-marked bones interpreted as evidence of presence of hominins at the Grăunceanu site (Romania) at least 1.95 milion years ago. [31]
- Evidence of systematic production of technologically and morphologically standardized bone tools by hominins living 1.5 million years ago is reported from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) by de la Torre et al. (2025). [32]
- Pietrobelli et al. (2025) study the anatomy of fibular ends of Homo floresiensis , interpreted as indicative of presence of a versatile ankle joint consistent with a locomotor repertoire including obligate bipedalism as well as climbing. [33]
- Chapman et al. (2025) reconstruct the skeleton of the leg of Homo naledi , and interpret its anatomy as casting doubt on the capabilities of H. naledi for endurance running. [34]
- Baab (2025) presents a virtual reconstruction of the skull of the Turkana Boy. [35]
- Mercader et al. (2025) present evidence indicating that Homo erectus occupying the Engaji Nanyori locality (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania) one million years ago lived in extremely dry environment, and showed ability to adapt to such environment through the strategic use of water resources present in the studied area. [36]
- Huguet et al. (2025) report the discovery of the midface of a hominin living between 1.4 million and 1.1 million years ago from the Sima del Elefante site (Spain), representing the oldest hominin face from Western Europe reported to date, and assign it to Homo aff. erectus. [37]
- Review of the nomenclature of the Middle Pleistocene hominins is published by Reed (2025). [38]
- A study aiming to determine the connection between facial morphology and geography in Middle Pleistocene hominins is published by Olsen & White (2025). [39]
- Review of the studies of skeletal proteomes of Middle and Late Pleistocene hominins, as well as of challenges in the proteomic analyses of the Pleistocene material, is published by Welker et al. (2025). [40]
- Schroeder & Komza (2025) study the morphological variation of skull of Middle Pleistocene hominins from Africa, and interpret it as consistent with attribution of the studied hominins to a single ecological species lineage. [41]
- Evidence from the study of starch grains found on basalt tools from the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov site (Israel), indicating that Middle Pleistocene hominins from the site processed diverse plants, is preserved by Ahituv et al. (2025). [42]
- Evidence from the study of stone tools, ochre fragments, animal remains likely accumulated by hominins and funerary practices of hominins from the Tinshemet Cave (Israel), interpreted as indicative of development of uniform behavior among mid-Middle Palaeolithic Levantine hominins that was likely related to interactions between different Homo groups, is presented by Zaidner et al. (2025). [43]
- A study on evolutionary processes that resulted in the emergence of a mosaic of primitive and derived anatomical traits in the Middle Pleistocene hominin populations from the Neanderthal lineage is published by Rosas et al. (2025). [44]
- Urciuoli et al. (2025) report evidence of reduction of morphological diversity of bony labyrinths in the Neanderthal lineage after the start of Marine Isotope Stage 5, interpreted as possibly related to a population bottleneck. [45]
- Degioanni et al. (2025) determine the extent of environments that were suitable from Neanderthal occupation in Europe between 90,000 and 50,000 years ago, report that the extent of suitable areas did not significantly decrease immediately prior to the disappearance of Neanderthals, and argue that the climate change was not the primary cause of the decline of European Neanderthals. [46]
- Evidence from the study of the Bété I site from the Anyama locality (Ivory Coast), indicative of human occupation of West African wet tropical forests dating to around 150,000 years ago, is presented by Ben Arous et al. (2025). [47]
- Röding et al. (2025) study the morphology of teeth of a juvenile hominin individual from the Pleistocene Mugharet el'Aliya cave site (Morocco), and interpret it as consistent with affinities with the Homo sapiens lineage. [48]
- Schürch, Conard & Schmidt (2025) study the raw material sourcing of tools from the Gravettian and Magdalenian sites in Germany, and interpret their findings as indicating that territories of foraging groups that occupied the studied sites spanned across 300 km. [49]
- Marginedas et al. (2025) interpret evidence of manipulation of human remains from the Magdalenian site Maszycka Cave (Poland) as consistent with cannibalistic behavior. [50]
- A study on the human distribution in South America during the late Pleistocene is published by Becerra-Valdivia (2025), who reports evidence of adaptation of humans to cold environments during the Antarctic Cold Reversal and widespread occupation of the continent that likely happened after the Younger Dryas. [51]
Rodents
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Calede & Socki | ||||||
Sp. nov | Olivares et al. | Miocene | ||||||
Rodent research
- Grau-Camats et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of Miopetaurista webbi from the Gray Fossil Site (Tennessee, United States) and interpret the species as likely closely related to the Eurasian species M. thaleri. [54]
- Escamilla et al. (2025) describe fossil material of members of the genera Prolagostomus and Chasicomys from the Miocene strata in the Calahoyo locality (Jujuy Province, Argentina), representing the first recorded co-occurrence of members of the two genera and extending known temporal range of Prolagostomus. [55]
- A study on the brain morphology of Pliocene specimens of Eumysops chapalmalensis is published by Fernández Villoldo et al. (2025). [56]
- De Santi & Verzi (2025) revise the Pleistocene tuco-tuco species Ctenomys latidens , interpreting it as a distinct species and likely a senior synonym of C. dasseni and C. intermedius. [57]
Other euarchontoglires
Miscellaneous euarchontoglires research
- Chester et al. (2025) describe a specimen of Mixodectes pungens from the Paleocene Nacimiento Formation (New Mexico, United States) representing the most complete mixodectid specimen reported to date, and interpret its anatomy as supporting the primatomorphan affinities of mixodectids. [58]
- New information on the anatomy of the skull of Plesiolestes nacimienti is provided by Crowell, Beard & Chester (2025). [59]
