Abstract
A maxillary fragment with M2–3 from the middle Miocene of Lothidok Hill, northwestern Kenya represents a new species ofProconsul—the typical East African early and middle Miocene hominoid species group. M2 inProconsul (Xenopithecus)hamiltoni sp. nov. is about 50% larger than in Kenyan lower MioceneP. (X.)koruensis. Xenopithecus is revived as a subgenus ofProconsul because its species are less derived than typical species of that genus in having small—unexpanded—trigons, in possessing an M2 with a significantly lower relative length, and in lacking a hypocone and large metacone on M3; however, xenopithecines share with proconsulines welldefined trigon ridges on M1–3, large hypocones on M1–2, greater relative height of M2–3, and crenulated cingula on M1–3 four character complexes derived over those of plesiomorphous East African early and middle MioceneLimnopithecus.
An upper canine from Lothidok Hill represents a second species ofProconsul, P. (Proconsul)major. This identification confirms earlier records of that species from Lothidok.
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Madden, C.T. NewProconsul (Xenopithecus) from the Miocene of Kenya. Primates 21, 241–252 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374037
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374037