First presence of Macaca sylvanus at the late Early Pleistocene of Barranc de la Boella (La Mina locality, Francolí Basin, NE Iberia)

Abstract

The BB specimen is an upper right canine belonging to a male of the primate M. sylvanus. The agreement among the qualitative characteristics of the tooth and the chronology of the site suggest its identification as M. sylvanus cf. florentina, although the lack of consensus on the validity of the proposed subspecies and the large biometric overlap do not allow certainty of this subspecific assignment. Macaca cf. sylvanus fossils are known across Iberia and throughout Europe in the Pliocene and Pleistocene, mainly in warmer intervals. Data suggest that the species is limited to areas that are more southern in colder phases, whereas in warm phases, this taxon could extend its distribution further north. Predation by carnivore species is likely, while interaction with early humans is less definite.