Ancient teeth from Peru hint now-extinct monkeys crossed Atlantic from Africa

Science Daily ^ | 09 April 2020

[zeestephen]

Four fossilized monkey teeth discovered deep in the Peruvian Amazon provide new evidence that more than one group of ancient primates journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa. The teeth are from a newly discovered species belonging to an extinct family of African primates known as parapithecids. Fossils discovered at the same site in Peru had earlier offered the first proof that South American monkeys evolved from African primates.

[zeestephen]

Science Daily:

"The monkeys are believed to have made the more than 900-mile trip on floating rafts of vegetation that broke off from coastlines, possibly during a storm.

"We're suggesting that this group might have made it over to South America right around what we call the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary, a time period between two geological epochs, when the Antarctic ice sheet started to build up and the sea level fell," said Seiffert. "That might have played a role in making it a bit easier for these primates to actually get across the Atlantic Ocean."

[Gay State Conservative]

I have all I can do to swim across Crystal Lake.

[dp0622]

There’s a good joke in there somewhere but i can’t think of it.

[crusty old prospector]

Tough sale, I mean sail.

[outofsalt]

"The monkeys are believed to have made the more than 900-mile trip on floating rafts of vegetation that broke off from coastlines..."

Or, maybe...

[seawolf101]

[BenLurkin]

[mmichaels1970]

You made my wife burst out laughing when I told her the story and showed her your “artist’s rendition of how it happened”.

[zeestephen]

Paleontology ping.

Discovery of four teeth from a second distinct African monkey species in Peru.

[Hot Tabasco]

"The monkeys are believed to have made the more than 900-mile trip on floating rafts

Nope, they tried to swim....that's why they're now extinct.

[eastexsteve]

"The monkeys are believed to have made the more than 900-mile trip on floating rafts of vegetation that broke off from coastlines, possibly during a storm.

Oh please. And what did they use for food on this 900 mile journey? Oh, that's right. They used their gas-powered boat motors constructed from coconut hulls.

[GingisK]

Maybe they started out with more than arrived. The rest tasted like chicken.

[piasa]

Africa and South America used to be connected.

[piasa]

Maybe they came across with gourds, because gourds are thought to have floated over to the New World from Africa, too.

[rktman]

In a little row boat?

[rktman]

Uh, Pangea? Golden Gate Bridge?

[dowcaet]

The leader of the group was called the Skipper and the bumbling first mate was named Gilligan!

[Keyhopper]

Oh yes you can, however, your classy sophisticated personality won't let you.😃

[dp0622]

You DO KNOW who you’re posing to, right?? :)

Those are NOT two words used often to describe my personality.

Or ever :)

[TruthWillWin]