Despite the scarcity of fossil specimens of Theropithecus oswaldi in Eurasia, its presence out of Africa attests to the great dispersal of this Papionini genus during the Early Pleistocene. In the present study, we analyze the buccal dental microwear of T. oswaldi (T. o. leakeyi) fossil specimens from Cueva Victoria (Southeastern Spain). This analysis is the first characterization of the feeding ecology of T. oswaldi in Europe. The buccal microwear pattern of the molar and premolar teeth of T. oswaldi from Cueva Victoria shows great similarities to that observed for the extant frugivorous forest-dwelling Mandrillus sphinx and mangabeys (Cercocebus sp.)—both species adapted to durophagous dietary habits—while significantly different from that observed for the gramnivorous Theropithecus gelada. These results suggest that T. oswaldi from Cueva Victoria could have exploited both hard-shelled fruits or seeds and succulent fruits from open and forested Mediterranean ecosystems.

尽管欧亚大陆上的Theropithecus oswaldi化石标本稀少，但它在非洲以外的存在证明了该Papionini属在更新世早期的广泛传播。在本研究中，我们分析了来自Cueva Victoria（西班牙东南部）的T. oswaldi（T. o。泄漏菌）化石标本的颊部牙齿微磨损。该分析是欧洲T. oswaldi的摄食生态学的第一个特征。来自Cueva Victoria的T. oswaldi的磨牙和前磨牙的颊微磨损模式显示出与现存的大量食肉性森林生的狮身人面像和狮身人面像（Cercocebus）相似。）-两种都适应食盐性饮食习惯的物种-同时与肉食性嗜热菌Thegelithecus gelada所观察到的显着不同。这些结果表明，来自Cueva Victoria的T. oswaldi可能已经利用了开阔的森林生态系统中的硬壳水果或种子和多汁的水果。