ABSTRACT
Oreopithecus bambolii is a fossil catarrhiiie primate from the Pontian 1 of Tuscany, Italy, dated as 10-12 million years old. Its classification has been controversial ever since Gervais described the type specimen, a mandible with teeth, in 1872. Dr. J. Hurzeler has recovered a remarkable group of specimens of Oreopithecus from lignite deposits, Pontian in age, at Baccinello, Italy. The dentition of Oreopithecus has been described in detail by Hurzeler, and has also been dealt with by A. Remane, P. M. Butler and J. R. E. Mills, and E. L. Simons. The supposed dental resemblance of Oreopithecus to cercopithecoids will not hold water. It is true that in a few characters the lower molars of Oreopithecus approximate those of cercopithecoids, but their overall pattern is strikingly non-cercopithecoid. In its relative length, the neck of the Oreopithecus femur most closely resembles those of hominoids, especially those of the great apes and man.
