An updated overview on the extinction of Oreopithecus bambolii
De Miguel Cascan, Daniel (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Rook, Lorenzo (Università degli Studi di Firenze)

Data:	2024
Resum:	Oreopithecus bambolii, the large-bodied endemic ape that lived in the Tusco-Sardinian bioprovince during the Late Miocene (ca. 8. 2-6. 7 Ma; Turolian), has been, for more than half a century, the focus of great controversy over its phylogenetic status, postural/locomotor behaviour, and extinction in an insular context. Despite being one of the most complete hominoids in the fossil record, its extinction remains unresolved. This is primarily because its environmental context and ecological needs have not been clearly investigated until recently. In reference to the latter issue, O. bambolii went extinct at ca. 6. 7 Ma, being the last hominoid to survive in Europe. The unresolved question is whether its extinction was due to a marked shift in climate and environments or to intensive interaction with an invading faunal complex from mainland Italy. The present work seeks to review the main hypotheses proposed to determine Oreopithecus' extinction and, in light of recent data, reevaluate the most viable explanation for its disappearance. Multiple lines of evidence have reported a shift in climate throughout the Baccinello-Cinigiano sequence. However, recent views suggest that although environmental shifts did take place, the floral composition spanning the extinction event (level V3; 6. 7-6. 4 Ma) was similar to that of previous ecosystems (level V1; 8. 3-8. 1 Ma) inhabited by Oreopithecus. Moreover, its dietary versatility-wider than previously thought-was likely an integral part of adaptations of Oreopithecus to cope with changes in the habitats under which it lived. Collectively, this suggests that the environmental change, even though it did take place, was not significant enough to deeply affect Oreopithecus' lifestyle. Hence, faunal interaction (both competition and predation) with invading species can be considered the most feasible explanation for the decline and disappearance of O. bambolii and associated fauna.
Ajuts:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-116220GB-I00
Nota:	Altres ajuts: Gobierno de Aragón (ref. E33_23R), Università degli Studi di Firenze (Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra), funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, PNRR, Missione 4 Componente 2, "Dalla ricerca all'impresa", Investimento 1.4, Project CN00000033.
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Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Endemic Ape ; Late Miocene ; Evolutionary History ; Habitat ; Climate/Environmental Change ; Competition/Predation
Publicat a:	Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, Vol. 63 (2024) , p. 183-192, ISSN 0375-7633

DOI: 10.4435/BSPI.2024.06

10 p, 1.7 MB

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