Hominoid clavicle” from Sahabi is actually a fragment of cetacean rib

Bibliographic Data

ID8316210
AuthorsT White (0000-0002-7989-2106), Tim D White (0000-0003-1266-7489, University of California, Berkeley), Gen Suwa (0000-0003-3880-2458, University of California, Berkeley), Gary D Richards (0000-0002-5675-080X, University of California, Berkeley), G Richards, J P Watters (University of California, Berkeley), Lawrence G Barnes (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)
Year1983
Volume61
Issue2
Pages239-244
Publication date1983-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.1330610213
PMID6410924
OpenAlexW2009048919
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited4

A late Miocene/early Pliocene mammalian fossil from the site of Sahabi, Libya, was identified in previous publications as a clavicle belonging to the superfamily Hominoidea. After studying both a cast of the specimen and previously published descriptions and photographs we have concluded that the fossil is not a clavicle, but a rib fragment. In addition, our study demonstrates beyond reasonable doubt that this rib belongs not to a primate, but to a marine mammal. Following comparisons with 19 species in 14 genera of marine mammals, as well as six hominoid and three cercopithecoid species, both modern and fossil, we conclude that the specimen is best attributed to the Odontoceti, the cetacean suborder containing dolphins and porpoises. The rib indicates an animal in the size range of Recent Tursiops or Lagenorhynchus

Biology · Cetacea · Clavicle · Evolutionary biology · Marine mammal · Rib cage · Zoology · Anatomy · Bat Biology and Ecology Studies · Ecology · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Marine animal studies overview · Paleontology

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