Qatrania, new basal anthropoid primate from the Fayum, Oligocene of Egypt

Recent excavations in Egypt organized by the Geological Survey of Egypt and Duke University have recovered many fossil primate specimens, most of which come from upper levels of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (early Oligocene) including Aegyptopithecus, Propliopithecus, Parapithecus and Apidium ^1-3. Screening at Quarry E in lower levels of the formation has also revealed a new small anthropoid described as Qatrania wingi. Qatrania is a primitive member of the Parapithecidae and possibly most closely allied to Parapithecus fraasi. This new species is the earliest African anthropoid known, equal in age and from the same quarry as Oligopithecus⁴. Its small size and details of molar structure point to a mainly frugivorous diet like some extant African prosimians and South American callithrichids. © 1983 Nature Publishing Group.

Duke Scholars

Author Richard Frederick Kay Evolutionary Anthropology