Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

Reconstructing The Dietary Signal Of The Primate Taxon Cercopithecoides Williamsi From The Plio-Pleistocene Caves Of South Africa, William G. Anderson, Frank L. Williams

DISCOVERY: Georgia State Honors College Undergraduate Research Journal

The taxon known as Cercopithecoides williamsi has been reconstructed as a terrestrial primate folivore from its dental morphology and heavy dental microwear. It was recovered at a number of Plio-Pleistocene caves in South Africa, including Makapansgat, Sterkfontein Member 4, Sterkfontein West Pit and Bolt’s Farm. For the purposes of corroborating or contradicting previous dietary reconstructions, six specimens of Cercopithecoides williamsi were examined and compared with the extant primate taxa Papio ursinus (n = 5), Papio cynocephalus (n = 5) and Colobus polykomos (n = 5) to provide a frame of reference, using low-magnification stereomicroscopy in conjunction with an ocular reticle …