Suggested Readings

Chapter 5: Fossil Primates

Ciochon, R. L., & Fleagle, J. (Eds.). (1987). Primate Evolution and Human Origins. Hawthorne, NY:  Aldine de Gruyter.

Articles in Part IV of this book summarize recent knowledge of early catarrhine evolution, while those in Part V examine Miocene apes and their possible significance respecting human origins.  Editors’ introductions to each section provide the necessary overall perspective on the issues discussed in the articles.

Conroy, G. C. (1997). Reconstructing Human Origins: A modern synthesis. New York: Norton.

Though it says little about earlier primates, this book has an excellent, up-to-date chapter (3) on the Miocene hominoids. Proconsul and the other apes are discussed in the context of climate changes in Africa and elsewhere in the Old World.

Jones, S., Martin, R., & Pilbeam, D. (Eds.). (1992). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. New York: Cambridge University Press.

This useful reference work has good sections on primate evolution, molecular studies, and the geological context for primate evolution.