THE DISCOVERY OF MOERIPITHECUS-MARKGRAFI SCHLOSSER (PROPLIOPITHECIDAE, ANTHROPOIDEA, PRIMATES), IN THE ASHAWQ FORMATION (EARLY OLIGOCENE OF DHOFAR PROVINCE, SULTANATE OF OMAN)

Several isolated teeth, a fragment of mandible with P3-M3, and four associated upper cheekteeth (P3-M2) of a large propliopithecid were recovered from the early Oligocene locality of Taqah (Ashawq Formation, Sultanate of Oman). All these teeth, as well as the paratype ofPropliopithecus ankeli, are here attributed to the Fayum anthropoidMoeripithecus markgrafi Schlosser. This taxon was until recently known only from the holotype, a fragment of mandible with M1-M2. Considering the striking differences in morphology betweenM. markgrafi andP. haeckeli (type species of the genusPropliopithecus), confirmed and extended by the new material from Oman, we here conclude that Schlosser was justified in recognizing the generic distinction betweenMoeripithecus andPropliopithecus. © 1991 Academic Press Limited.