Nakalipithecus
1°11′N 36°24′E / 1.19°N 36.4°E
| Nakalipithecus Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Haplorhini |
| Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
| Superfamily: | Hominoidea |
| Family: | Hominidae |
| Genus: | †Nakalipithecus Kunimatsu et al., 2007 |
| Species: | †N. nakayamai
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Nakalipithecus nakayamai Kunimatsu et al., 2007
| |
Nakalipithecus nakayamai is an extinct species of great ape from the Late Miocene of Nakali, Kenya, about 9.9–9.8 million years ago. It is known from a jawbone and 11 isolated teeth, and the specimen is presumed female as the teeth are similar in size to those of female gorillas and orangutans. It is one of only three Late Miocene apes known from Africa, the others Samburupithecus and Chororapithecus. Nakalipithecus seems to have inhabited a sclerophyllous woodland environment.
Taxonomy
Nakalipithecus was first described from a jawbone, KNM-NA46400, and eleven isolated teeth excavated in 2005 by a team of Japanese and Kenyan researchers in mud flow deposits in the Nakali area of northern Kenya's former Rift Valley Province, hence the genus name Nakalipithecus ("Nakali ape"). The species name is in honour of the late Japanese geologist Katsuhiro Nakayama who worked on the expedition. The specimen dates to about 9.9–9.8 million years ago in the Late Miocene.[1]
It is debated if apes evolved in Africa or Eurasia given the abundance of early fossil apes species in the latter and the paucity in the former, despite all modern great apes except the orangutan being known from Africa. The first Miocene African ape was discovered in 1997, Samburupithecus, and the only others known are Nakalipithecus and Chororapithecus. It is unclear how Nakalipithecus is related to other apes, but it does share similarities with the later Greek Ouranopithecus, though this could have occurred due to convergent evolution instead of being closely related. It is possible these Late Miocene African apes were closely related to the last common ancestor of all modern African apes which existed about 9–8 million years ago.[1]
Anatomy
Nakalipithecus has an overall large size, with teeth similar in size to those of female gorillas and orangutans. The nearly contemporaneous Samburupithecus was about the same size. The specimen is thus presumed female. Unlike other apes, the canines are short, as long as they are wide. The premolars are elongated, and the protoconid (the cusp on the tongue side) of the third premolar is oriented more cheekwards, which is a distinguishing characteristic of Miocene African apes from Miocene Eurasian apes. Compared to contemporary African apes, the tooth enamel on the molars is thinner, and the cusps (which project outward from the tooth) are less inflated, creating a wider basin. Like modern and some contemporary apes, but unlike earlier East African apes, the first molar is relatively large, with an M1/M2 ratio of about 85%. Like Ouranopithecus and early Indian Sivapithecus, but unlike most contemporary and future apes, the third molar was much larger than the second, with an M3/M2 ratio of 115%, though this ratio is smaller than that of the Southeast Asian Khoratpithecus. The mandible is less robust than those of Eurasian Miocene apes, except for Ouranopithecus. Though Nakalipithecus and Ouranopithecus exhibit many similarities with each other, it is unclear if this is because of adaptations to similar habitats or because they are closely related.[1]
Palaeobology
The Late Miocene of East Africa, the Sahara, the Middle East, and Southern Europe all appear to have been predominantly a seasonal sclerophyllous evergreen woodland environment. Nakali appears to have been dominated by C3 (forest) plants.[1]
A preliminary paleontological exploration of the area in 1969 yielded evidence of the Miocene presence of Hipparion.[2] The Nakali area has been reported as yielding Miocene fossils of early Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea), since the 1970s.[3] Fossil remains of several other primate species were also present at the dig site where Nakalipithecus was found.[4]
See also
- Anoiapithecus – Extinct genus of ape from the Miocene
- Chororapithecus – Extinct hominine genus from the Miocene
- Timeline of human evolution
- Timeline of the evolutionary history of life
- Pierolapithecus – Extinct species of ape from Miocene Europe
- Samburupithecus – Extinct genus of primate from Miocene Kenya
References
- ^ a b c d Kunimatsu, Y.; Nakatsukasa, M.; Sawada, Y.; Sakai, T. (2007). "A new Late Miocene great ape from Kenya and its implications for the origins of African great apes and humans". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (49): 19220–19225. doi:10.1073/pnas.0706190104. PMC 2148271. PMID 18024593.
- ^ E. Aguirre, Ph. Leaky (1974), "Nakali: nueva fauna de Hipparion del Rift Valley de Kenya", Estudios Geológicos, vol. 30, p. 219–227.
- ^ B. R. Benefit and M. Pickford (1986), "Miocene fossil cercopithecoids from Kenya", American Journal of Physical Anthropology 69(4):441–464doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330690404. "The lower molar from Nakali was discovered by Meave Leakey in 1978" (p. 446).
- ^ "Scientists have discovered another human ancestor" Archived 12 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Voice, Volume 15, Issue 43, 16 November 2007. Mandy Gardner
External links
- Human Timeline (Interactive) – Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History (August 2016).
- "Mama, Is That You? Possible Ape Ancestor Found". Discovery News. Version of 2007-NOV-12. Retrieved 2007-NOV-13. Contains photo of fossil.
