Aegyptopithecus

Aegyptopithecus Temporal range: 35–33 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Late Eocene-Early Oligocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Superfamily:	†Propliopithecoidea
Family:	†Propliopithecidae
Genus:	†Aegyptopithecus Simons 1965
Species:	†A. zeuxis
Binomial name
Aegyptopithecus zeuxis Simons 1965

Aegyptopithecus, which means "Egyptian Monkey", from Greek Αίγυπτος (Egypt) and πίθηκος (ape or monkey), is an early fossil catarrhine that predates the divergence between hominoids (apes and humans) and cercopithecids (Old World monkeys). It is known from a single species, Aegyptopithecus zeuxis, which lived some 35-33 million years ago in the early part of the Oligocene epoch. It likely resembled modern-day New World monkeys, and was about the same size as a modern howler monkey, which is about 56 to 92 cm (22 to 36 in) long. Aegyptopithecus fossils have been found primarily in modern-day Egypt. Aegyptopithecus is believed to be a stem-catarrhine, a crucial link between Eocene and Miocene fossils.

Aegyptopithecus zeuxis has become one of the best known extinct primates based on craniodental and postcranial remains.

Aegyptopithecus was discovered by E. Simons in 1965 in the Jebel Qatrani Formation in the Fayum Province of Egypt. There is controversy over whether or not Aegyptopithecus should be a genus on its own or whether it should be moved into the genus Propliopithecus. If Aegyptopithecus is placed in its own genus, then there is one documented species named A. zeuxis. The type specimen for the species is CGM26901. Its scientific name means "linking Egyptian ape".