Aotus Dindensis

''Aotus dindensis'' is an extinct species of New World monkeys in the genus '' Aotus'' 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.''Aotus dindensis''
at Fossilworks.org

Etymology

The species has been named after the locality its fossils have been found, the El Dinde site of the "Monkey Unit" in the Honda Group, Colombia.Gebo et al., 1990, p.737

Description

Fossils of ''Aotus dindensis'' were discovered in 1986 in the Honda Group,Setoguchi & Rosenberger, 1988, p.1 that has been dated to the Laventan, about 12.5 to 12.1 Ma.Defler, 2009, p.404 The species is considered the oldest member of ''Aotus'',Gebo et al., 1990, p.745 recognised for the almost identical mandibular and dental morphology.Pérez et al., 2013, p.4 It may be the ancestor of the extant ''Aotus'' species of South America,Defler & Bueno, 2007, p.65 though other authors consider the species a synonym of ''Mohanamico''.Defler, 2004, p.34

The material consists of a left hemimandible, a left maxillary fragment preserving roots and lingual half of M3. The dental parts of ''Aotus dindensis'' was more primitive than that of extant ''Aotus''. As the night monkeys of today, ''Aotus dindensis'' probably had a similar nocturnal lifestyle, with a less specialised diet.Setoguchi & Rosenberger, 1988, p.3 A body mass of has been estimated for ''Aotus dindensis''.Silvestro et al., 2017, p.14

The teeth of ''Aotus dindensis'' show a tendency for sexual dimorphism, which is degenerate in modern ''Aotus'' species. The species itself seems to have been nocturnal, but it is believed that the characteristics of its diurnal ancestors remained. Takai et al., 2009

The locomotion of ''Aotus'', ''Callicebus'', ''Cebupithecia'' and the Argentinian genus ''Dolichocebus'' has been described as primarily quadrupedal with some leaping.Gebo et al., 1990, p.744

Evolution

The evolutionary split in New World monkeys between Callitrichidae and ''Aotus'' has been estimated at 17.5 Ma.Takai et al., 2001, p.304 The Early Miocene origin for the genus ''Aotus'' is the longest of primates, with only '' Macaca'' traceable to the Late Miocene, approximately eight million years ago.Setoguchi & Rosenberger, 1988, p.4

Habitat

The Honda Group, and more precisely the "Monkey Beds", are the richest site for fossil primates in South America.Rosenberger & Hartwig, 2001, p.3 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.Lynch Alfaro et al., 2015, p.520 From the same level as where ''Aotus dindensis'' has been found, also fossils of ''Cebupithecia'', ''Micodon'', ''Mohanamico'', ''Saimiri annectens'', ''Saimiri fieldsi'' and ''Stirtonia tatacoensis'' have been uncovered.Luchterhand et al., 1986, p.1753Wheeler, 2010, p.133Setoguchi et al., 1986, p.762

See also

* List of primates of Colombia
* ''Miocallicebus''

References

Bibliography

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Further reading

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q5700824

Night monkeys
Prehistoric monkeys
Miocene first appearances
Miocene extinctions
Miocene primates of South America
Laventan
Neogene Colombia
Fossils of Colombia
Honda Group, Colombia
Fossil taxa described in 1987