Sexual dimorphism in early anthropoids

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Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in canine/premolar tooth size and in body size is found among many species of living primates and was shown to be correlated with social organization. Among extant higher primate species that normally live in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair with their offspring, adult males and females are similar in body size and size of canine and anterior premolar teeth. Higher primate species living in more complex polygnous groups (single-male harems or multi-male groups) are characterized by sexual dimorphism in the size of canine/premolar teeth and frequently by body size dimorphism as well. The 1st evidence for sexual dimorphism in 3 spp. of primates from the Oligocene of Egypt-Aegyptopithecus zeuxis, Propliopithecus chirobates and Apidium phiomense is given. This is the earliest record of sexual dimorphism among higher primates and suggests, by analogy with living species, that the earliest known fossil Old World anthropoids lived in polygnous (either single-male harems or multi-male groups) rather than monogamous social groups.