Equatorius

Equatorius; Temporal range: Miocene 15.58–15.36 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Superfamily:	Hominoidea
Family:	incertae sedis
Genus:	†Equatorius; Ward et al. 1999
Type species
	†Equatorius africanus; Ward et al. 1999

Equatorius is an extinct genus of kenyapithecine primate found in central Kenya at the Tugen Hills. Thirty-eight large teeth belonging to this middle Miocene hominid in addition to a mandibular and partially complete skeleton dated 15.58 Ma and 15.36 Ma. were later found.

Analysis

The anatomical structures in part was seen to be similar to Afropithecus and Proconsul. Nevertheless, anatomy and morphology suggested the genus had an increased terrestrial habitat.

Taxonomy

Ward et al. 1999, using their previous published study of K.africanus, based the separate definition on comparisons of gnathic and dental anatomy. The classification's validity was subsequently challenged.

Notes

↑ Ward et al. 1999
↑ Kelley et al. 2002
↑ Sherwood et al. 2002
↑ Ward & Duren 2002, Begun 2000
↑ See McCrossin & Benefit's comment in Begun 2000

References

Begun, David R. (March 2000). "Technical Comments: Middle Miocene Hominoid Origins". Science. 287 (5462): 2375. doi:10.1126/science.287.5462.2375a.
Kelley, J; Ward, S; Brown, B; Hill, A; Duren, DL (Jan–Feb 2002). "Dental remains of Equatorius africanus from Kipsaramon, Tugen Hills, Baringo District, Kenya". J Hum Evol. 42 (1–2): 39–62. Bibcode:2002JHumE..42...39K. doi:10.1006/jhev.2001.0504. PMID 11795967.
Sherwood, RJ; Ward, S; Hill, A; Duren, DL; Brown, B; Downs, W (Jan–Feb 2002). "Preliminary description of the Equatorius africanus partial skeleton (KNM-TH 28860) from Kipsaramon, Tugen Hills, Baringo District, Kenya". J Hum Evol. 42 (1–2): 63–73. Bibcode:2002JHumE..42...63S. doi:10.1006/jhev.2001.0502. PMID 11795968.
Ward, Steven C.; Duren, Dana L. (2002). "Middle and late Miocene African hominoids". In Hartwig, Walter (ed.). The Primate Fossil Record. Cambridge University Press. Bibcode:2002prfr.book.....H. ISBN 9780521663151.
Ward, Steve; Brown, Barbara; Hill, Andrew; Kelley, Jay; Downs, Will (August 1999). "Equatorius: A New Hominoid Genus from the Middle Miocene of Kenya". Science. 285 (5432): 1382–1386. doi:10.1126/science.285.5432.1382. PMID 10464093.

[1] Ward et al. 1999

[2] Kelley et al. 2002

[3] Sherwood et al. 2002

[4] Ward & Duren 2002, Begun 2000

[5] See McCrossin & Benefit's comment in Begun 2000

Taxon identifiers
Equatorius	Wikidata: Q18644997 EoL: 13244699 GBIF (old): 4827699 IRMNG: 1039537 Open Tree of Life: 3607714 Paleobiology Database: 169699
Equatorius africanus	Wikidata: Q288360 Wikispecies: Equatorius GBIF (old): 8593865 Paleobiology Database: 185390