The taxonomy of savannah baboons: An odontomorphometric analysis

The subgeneric relationships of savannah baboons have long been a point of contention among taxonomists. Recent documentation of morphological clines and evidence of interspecific hybridization have further complicated this problem. In this investigation, the dental dimensions of 443 savannah baboons, representing three of the generally recognized species, Papio anubis, P. cynocephalus, and P. ursinus, were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical procedures. A small number of possible P. ursinus/P. cynocephalus hybrids was included in the analysis. The results suggest that the three morphotypes are clearly distinct. Furthermore, the hybrid group possesses a dentition incorporating different elements of the two interbreeding species. However, these individuals are not simply intermediate but quite different. These findings, considered in conjunction with other morphological and distributional data, tend to warrant maintenance of the present specific distinctions.