Theropithecus

Theropithecus Temporal range: Pliocene-Recent 4.1–0  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Male gelada
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Cercopithecidae
Subfamily:	Cercopithecinae
Tribe:	Papionini
Genus:	Theropithecus I. Geoffroy, 1843
Type species
Theropithecus gelada (Rüppell, 1835)
Species
See text

Theropithecus is a genus of primates in the family Cercopithecidae. It contains a single living species, the gelada (Theropithecus gelada), native to the Ethiopian Highlands.

Additional species are known from fossils, including:

• † Theropithecus brumpti ^{[1] [2]}
• † Theropithecus darti
• † Theropithecus oswaldi ^[3]

The earliest remains probably belonging to the genus are from Kanapoi, Kenya, dating to the early Pliocene, around 4.1-4.2 million years ago. ^[2]

Although most remains are known from Africa, ^[2] during the Early Pleistocene the genus had a broader distribution ranging from southern Europe, including Spain ^[4] and possibly Italy, ^[5] to the Indian subcontinent. ^[6]

References

1. Turner, Alan; Antón, Mauricio (2004). Evolving Eden, An Illustrated Guide to the Evolution of the African Large-Mammal Fauna. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 55.
2. Getahun, D. A., Delson, E., & Seyoum, C. M. (2023). A review of Theropithecus oswaldi with the proposal of a new subspecies. Journal of human evolution, 180, 103373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103373
3. "The Paleobiology Database" . Retrieved 11 August 2013.
4. Ferràndez-Cañadell, Carles; Ribot, Francesc; Gibert, Lluís (September 2014). "New fossil teeth of Theropithecus oswaldi (Cercopithecoidea) from the Early Pleistocene at Cueva Victoria (SE Spain)" . Journal of Human Evolution. 74: 55–66. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.02.020.
5. Patel, Biren A.; Gilbert, Christopher C.; Ericson, Kristin E. (February 2007). "Cercopithecoid cervical vertebral morphology and implications for the presence of Theropithecus in early Pleistocene Europe" . Journal of Human Evolution. 52 (2): 113–129. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.07.014.
6. Patnaik, Rajeev; Cerling, Thure E.; Uno, Kevin T.; Fleagle, John G. (April 2014). "Diet and Habitat of Siwalik Primates Indopithecus, Sivaladapis and Theropithecus" . Annales Zoologici Fennici. 51 (1–2): 123–142. doi:10.5735/086.051.0214. ISSN   0003-455X.