Paracolobus

Paracolobus is an extinct genus of primate closely related to the living colobus monkeys. It lived in eastern Africa in the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene.^[1] Fossils have been found in Kenya and Ethiopia, in places such as the Omo valley.^[2]

Paracolobus Temporal range: Pliocene–Early Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype specimen of P. chemeroni (AMNH 129319)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Cercopithecidae
Subfamily:	Colobinae
Genus:	†Paracolobus R.E.F. Leakey, 1969
Type species
†Paracolobus chemeroni Leakey, 1969
Species
†Paracolobus chemeroni †Paracolobus enkorikae †Paracolobus mutiwa

Description

Species of Paracolobus were large monkeys; P. chemeroni is estimated to have weighed between 30–50 kg (66–110 lb),^[3] while P. mutiwa and the comparatively small P. enkorikae have been estimated at 39 kg (86 lb) and 9 kg (20 lb), respectively.^[4] Compared to another giant monkey Cercopithecoides, Paracolobus had a longer face and deeper jaws. It had a longer cranium, broader muzzle, wider face and longer nasal bone than its closest relative, the extinct Rhinocolobus.^[5] Its dentition was similar to modern colobus monkeys, indicating a largely folivorous diet.^[4] Despite its large size, it was probably arboreal like its modern relatives.