Saimiri annectens

Saimiri annectens; Temporal range: Middle Miocene (Laventan); ~13.8–11.8 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Conservation status
	Extinct
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Cebidae
Genus:	Saimiri
Species:	S. annectens
Binomial name
	Saimiri annectens; Kay & Meldrum 1997
Synonyms
	Laventiana annectensRosenberger et al. 1991; Neosaimiri annectensKay & Meldrum 1997;

Last updated April 19, 2021

Saimiri annectens, originally described as Laventiana annectens and later as Neosaimiri annectens, is an extinct species of New World monkey in the genus Saimiri (squirrel monkeys) from the Middle Miocene (Laventan in the South American land mammal ages; 13.8 to 11.8 Ma). Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia.^[1]

Etymology

The former genus name Laventiana refers to the La Venta site where the fossils have been found. The species epithet annectens is derived from the Latin words ad-, "towards" and nectens, "tying" or "connecting", in reference to the fossil's phylogenetic implications.^[2]

Description

Fossils of Saimiri annectens, earlier described as Neosaimiri annectens and originally as Laventiana annectens,^[1] were discovered at the Masato Site in the upper redbeds of the Villavieja Formation, that has been dated to the Laventan, about 13.5 Ma.^[3]

It was described as an intermediate between squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) and callitrichines (marmosets and tamarins) in the morphology of the lower molars, mandible, and talus.^[4]Saimiri annectens is, described as Laventiana annectens according to Rosenberger et al., closely related to Saimiri and to Cebus (capuchin monkeys), yet resembled the probable callitrichine morphotype, demonstrating that archaic relatives of a Saimiri-like stock were suitable structural ancestors for the enigmatic callitrichines. Saimiri annectens is described as more primitive than Saimiri fieldsi from the same fauna, further increasing the likelihood that the latter is a lineal ancestor of modern squirrel monkeys.^[5]

The lower molars of the fossil Saimiri resemble those of Dolichocebus , from Argentina.^[6] An estimated body mass of 605 to 800 grams (1.334 to 1.764 lb) has been suggested for Saimiri annectens.^[7]^[8]

Evolution

The evolutionary split in New World monkeys between Cebus and Saimiri has been estimated at 16.7 Ma.^[9]

Habitat

The Honda Group, and more precisely the "Monkey Beds", are the richest site for fossil primates in South America.^[10] It has been argued that the monkeys of the Honda Group were living in habitat that was in contact with the Amazon and Orinoco Basins, and that La Venta itself was probably seasonally dry forest.^[11] From the same level as where Saimiri annectens has been found, also fossils of Cebupithecia , Micodon , Mohanamico , and Stirtonia tatacoensis have been uncovered.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Related Research Articles

La Venta is a fossil locality located in the modern departments of Tolima and Huila in Colombia. This site is one of the richest Neogene fossil assemblages in South America and represents the best-known Cenozoic fossil site outside of Argentina. It provides a glimpse of what life in the region was like before the main wave of the Great American Interchange.

The Jamaican monkey is an extinct species of New World monkey that was endemic to Jamaica. It was first uncovered at Long Mile Cave by Harold Anthony in 1920.

Stirtonia is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. Two species have been described, S. victoriae and the type species S. tatacoensis. Synonyms are Homunculus tatacoensis, described by Ruben Arthur Stirton in 1951 and Kondous laventicus by Setoguchi in 1985. The genus is classified in Alouattini as an ancestor to the modern howler monkeys.

The South American land mammal ages (SALMA) establish a geologic timescale for prehistoric South American fauna beginning 64.5 Ma during the Paleocene and continuing through to the Late Pleistocene. These periods are referred to as ages, stages, or intervals and were established using geographic place names where fossil materials where obtained.

The Laventan age is a period of geologic time within the Middle Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically within the SALMA classification in South America. It follows the Colloncuran and precedes the Mayoan age.

Aotus dindensis is an extinct species of New World monkeys in the genus Aotus from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia.

Nuciruptor is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is N. rubricae.

The Honda Group is a geological group of the Upper and Middle Magdalena Basins and the adjacent Central and Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The group, in older literature also defined as formation, is in its present-day type section in the Tatacoa Desert in the department of Huila subdivided into two main formations; La Victoria and Villavieja.

Cebupithecia is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is C. sarmientoi.

Lagonimico is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is L. conclucatus.

Micodon is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is M. kiotensis, a very small monkey among the New World species.

Miocallicebus is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is M. villaviejai.

Mohanamico is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is M. hershkovitzi. Due to the relatively few material found of Mohanamico, the placement of the genus is not certain and three possible families have been proposed by different authors, Callitrichidae, Pitheciidae or Aotidae.

Patasola is an extinct genus of New World monkeys from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia. The type species is Patasola magdalenae.

Saimiri fieldsi is an extinct species of New World monkey in the genus Saimiri from the Middle Miocene. Its remains have been found at the Konzentrat-Lagerstätte of La Venta in the Honda Group of Colombia.

Miocochilius is an extinct genus of small notoungulate mammals native to South America. The genus lived during the Middle Miocene epoch. The genus contains two described species, the type species M. anomopodus described in 1953 by Ruben Arthur Stirton and M. federicoi, described and included in the genus by Darin A. Croft.

Canaanimico is an extinct genus of medium-sized New World monkeys from the Late Oligocene fossiliferous fluvio-lacustrine Chambira Formation of the Ucayali Basin in Amazonian Peru. The genus was described by Marivaux et al. in 2016 and the type species is C. amazonensis.

References

1 2 Saimiri annectens at Fossilworks.org
↑ Rosenberger & Setoguchi, 1991, p.2138
↑ Rosenberger & Setoguchi, 1991, p.2137
↑ Defler, 2004, p.32
↑ Rosenberger & Setoguchi, 1991, p.2139
↑ Tejedor, 2013, p.24
↑ Pérez et al., 2013, p.9
↑ Silvestro et al., 2017, p.14
↑ Takai et al., 2001, p.304
↑ Rosenberger & Hartwig, 2001, p.3
↑ Lynch Alfaro et al., 2015, p.520
↑ Luchterhand et al., 1986, p.1753
↑ Wheeler, 2010, p.133
↑ Setoguchi et al., 1986, p.762

Bibliography

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