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Systematic reconsideration and a revision of the nomenclature of Kenya baboons
Author(s) -
Maples William R.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330360103
Subject(s) - baboon , taxon , zoology , population , biology , nomenclature , morphology (biology) , geography , evolutionary biology , ecology , demography , taxonomy (biology) , sociology
Abstract Two populations of baboons in Kenya, often given different specific names, Papio doguera and Papio cynocephalus , were the subject of this investigation. We conducted a field study to determine if these two populations are the same or two different species. We located a zone of contact between the two putative species in the area of Simba Springs and Ithumba Hill. The population in this area was found to represent intergradation on the basis of field observations and detailed metric observations of the morphology. The morphology of this population appears to be intermediate between that of the two populations: the olive baboon, labeled Papio doguera , and the yellow baboon, labeled Papio cynocephalus . We confirmed the findings by statistical analyses of osteometric data. Since the specific separation of the two taxa studied in this investigation is invalid, both are placed in the prior nomen, Papio cynocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) separating them on the subspecific level, P. c. doguera and P. c. cynocephalus .