For decades, early ape evolution research anchored to East Africa due to rich fossil sites there. Northern Africa was a biogeographic crossroads between Africa and Eurasia during the Early Miocene. This sampling bias may have skewed where we think apes originated. Masripithecus moghraensis, discovered in the Wadi Moghra region of northern Egypt, dates to roughly 18 million years ago and predates major ape expansions into Eurasia around 15 million years ago.
Early ape evolution research biased toward East Africa due to fossil sampling
Key facts
- For decades, early ape evolution research has been anchored in East Africa due to the richest fossil record found there at sites in Kenya and Uganda
- Researchers argue that focusing on East Africa may have shaped opinions about where early hominid evolution occurred
- Northern Africa functioned as a biogeographic crossroads gateway between Africa and Eurasia during the Early Miocene
- The study argues that sample bias may have compounded over time as more digs in East Africa led to more discoveries there
- Mosropythecus predates major ape expansions into Eurasia visible in the fossil record around 15 million years ago
- If confirmed, this could represent the launch point for subsequent ape dispersals into Eurasia and back into Africa
Sources
An Early Miocene ape from the biogeographic crossroads of African ...researchgate.net
Here, we describe a fossil ape from North Africa, a new genus ... primate fossil record are discussed. All species (fossil and extant) ...
Early Miocene Fossil Fills Gap in Ape Family Tree | Sci.Newssci.news
The newly-discovered fossil ape lived 17-18 million years ago in what is now in the Wadi Moghra region of northern Egypt. Named Masripithecus ...
18-Million-Year-Old Ape Fossil From Egypt Suggests Modern Apes ...discovermagazine.com
Learn how an Early Miocene ape fossil from Egypt is changing theories about ape evolution and the origins of modern apes.
An Early Miocene ape from the biogeographic crossroads of African ...pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Here, we describe a fossil ape from North Africa, a new genus (Masripithecus) from the Early Miocene (~17 million to 18 million years) of ...
These 17-Million-Year-Old Fossils Could Rewrite the Evolutionary ...smithsonianmag.com
While the new find is exciting, there isn't enough evidence to definitively rewrite the history of ape evolution, Miller says. “But a new find ...
Was this story useful?
Keep exploring
Every site on this page sits on the globe, and the people who research them are on the Discord.
3D Globe · Sites by country · Story Archive · Research Library · Weekly Journal · Search
AI-generated text · images from the original sources · always verify with the sources.