The phylogenetic relationships of the early catarrhine primates: a review of the current evidence

This paper presents a review of the evolutionary relationships of the early catarrhine primates. The first stage of the analysis involves the reconstruction of the inferred ancestral morphotypes of the major groups of extant anthropoids. The introduction of the fossil taxa into the phylogenetic scheme represents the second and final stage of the analysis. The results of this cladistic analysis suggests that: (1) the parapithecids are a specialized group of basal anthropoids, (2) Oligopithecus savagei may represent the earliest recognizable catarrhine, (3) Propliopithecus (= Aegvptopithecus) and Pliopithecus apparently represent the successive sister taxa to the modern catarrhines, (4) Dendropithecus and Proconsul are best regarded as basal catarrhines of modern aspect, and (5) Victoriapithecus is a primitive cercopithecoid monkey which represents the siter taxon of the extant Old World monkeys.