Early ape evolution research biased toward East Africa due to fossil sampling. 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
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.
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
Source: 18 million year old Common Ancestor is from Egypt, not East Africa by Timeless with Fred Snyder