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The paleoenvironment of Sivapithecus parvada
R S Scott1, J Kappelman, J Kelley
1Department of Anthropology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712-1086, USA. rscott@mail.utexas.edu
Journal of Human Evolution
|March 13, 1999
Summary
Sivapithecus parvada fossils suggest a predominantly forested paleoenvironment at locality Y311, with some open areas. This contrasts with Kenyapithecus
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Paleoecology
- Primate Evolution
Background:
- Fossil remains of Sivapithecus parvada and diverse mammalian taxa were discovered at locality Y311 (ca. 10 Ma) in Pakistan's Siwalik Nagri Formation.
- Bovids are abundant at Y311, offering insights into the paleoenvironments of Sivapithecus parvada.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct the paleoenvironments inhabited by Sivapithecus parvada using bovid fauna.
- To compare the paleoenvironments of Sivapithecus parvada with those of Kenyapithecus.
Main Methods:
- A functional model linking femoral characters of extant bovids to habitat was employed.
- Analysis of bovid fauna from the Chinji and Nagri Formations was conducted.
Main Results:
- Forested habitats predominated at locality Y311, with some less densely covered areas.
- Paleoenvironments in the Chinji Formation were comparable to Y311, with a more certain continuous canopy.
- The paleoenvironment at Y311 differed from Kenyapithecus' habitat in Kenya, which likely lacked a continuous canopy.
Conclusions:
- Sivapithecus parvada and Kenyapithecus inhabited distinct ecological settings with varying vegetative cover.
- Bovid fauna adapted to changing environments, preceding the shift to C4 grasslands between 8 and 6 Ma.