Field missions

Missions Thailand Franco-Thai Paleontological Mission Sedimentary Basins of Thailand Contact: Yaowalak Chaimanee General research question The Miocene mammal faunas of Thailand contain numerous primate forms such as sivaladapids, tarsiers, pliopithecids, and hominoids, which give these sites exceptional significance for our evolutionary history. Selected results Numerous publications and theses have resulted from over 30 years of research covering geology, dating, mammal faunas—especially the great diversity of primates. This work has contributed significantly to our understanding of the history and evolution of primates, as well as many other mammal groups (carnivores, rodents, rhinocerotids, anthracotheres, ruminants, etc.). Regarding hominoids, these studies led to the recognition of a new genus, Khoratpithecus, considered the closest form to modern orangutans. Mission structure The MPFT (Franco-Thai Paleontological Mission) is a transdisciplinary research mission (paleontology, geology, paleoenvironments) led by PALEVOPRIM in close partnership with Thailand’s Department of Mineral Resources and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Funding The primary funding comes from PALEVOPRIM (a joint research unit of CNRS and the University of Poitiers). Thailand Numbering of samples collected Thailand The excavations arelocated in a quarry Thailand Excavation of a fossil