Pliopithecus
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Pliopithecus (meaning "more ape") is a genus of extinct primates of the Miocene. It was discovered in 1837 by Édouard Lartet (1801–1871) in France, with fossils subsequently discovered in Switzerland, Slovakia and Spain.
Pliopithecus had a similar size and form to modern gibbons, to which it may be related, although it is probably not a direct ancestor. It had long limbs, hands, and feet, and may have been able to brachiate, swinging between trees using its arms. Unlike gibbons, it had a short tail, and only partial stereoscopic vision.<ref name=EoDP>Template:Cite book</ref>
They appear to have originated in Asia and extended their range into Europe between 20 and 17 million years ago.<ref name="Begun2012">Template:Cite book</ref>
Begun and Harrison list the following species within the genus:<ref name="Begun2012"/>
- Pliopithecus antiquus
- Pliopithecus bii
- Pliopithecus canmatensis
- Pliopithecus platyodon
- Pliopithecus vindobonensis
- Pliopithecus zhanxiangi
Pliopithecus antiquus has been referred to previously as P. piveteaui.<ref name="taxon64158">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> P. vindobonensis is sometimes considered to be a separate genus, Epipliopithecus.<ref name="HarrisonGu">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Begun2012" /> Anapithecus is a close relative and was initially considered a subgenus of Pliopithecus.