Dryopithecus

In Depth        Although Dryopithecus is known to have had a broad geographic distribution,‭ ‬it is particularly well known from European countries such as France,‭ ‬Spain and Hungary.‭ ‬Dryopithecus is often associated with the orangutan-like Sivapithecus,‭ ‬however study of Dryopithecus fossils indicate that it was actually very different in life.‭ ‬The main difference between these two … Read more

Babakotia

In Depth        Babakotia was what is more commonly known as a sloth lemur.‭ ‬This is because unlike the lemurs that we know today,‭ ‬Babakotia had body proportions more like those of a sloth,‭ ‬something which has led to speculation that this lemur was also sloth like in its behaviour.‭ ‬The term sloth lemur is a … Read more

Gigantopithecus

gigantopithecus 1

In Depth Discovery and species        During‭ ‬1935‭ ‬the palaeontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald visited a Chinese apothecary shop in Hong Kong and discovered an unusually large molar,‭ ‬a tooth similar to the large flat ones that you have towards the back of your mouth.‭ ‬Fossils like this are often found in Traditional Chinese medicine … Read more

Smilodectes

In Depth        Smilodectes is another example of an early Eocene era primate,‭ ‬and one of the better known from North America.‭ ‬As a notharctine primate,‭ ‬Smilodectes was similar to the type genus of the group,‭ ‬Notharctus.‭ ‬Like its relatives,‭ ‬Smilodectes was a small and lightly built primate that spent most of its time up in … Read more

Turkanapithecus

In Depth        Although not very well known,‭ ‬Turkanapithecus appears to be similar to other prehistoric primates like Proconsul and Afropithecus.‭ ‬Turkanapithecus is named after the Turkana Lake region of Kenya,‭ ‬with the type species name meaning‭ ‘‬from Kalakol‭’ ‬after the Kalakol river where it was found. Further Reading – A second new Miocene hominoid from … Read more

Hadropithecus

In Depth        One of the monkey lemurs from Madagascar,‭ ‬Hadropithecus is often described as being similar to its relative Archaeolemur in behaviour and lifestyle.‭ ‬Hadropithecus was a powerfully built lemur that seems to have been best adapted to a cursorial life on the ground.‭ ‬Lemurs as we know them today usually have long arms and … Read more

Ouranopithecus

In Depth        Ouranopithecus is often considered to be a dryopithecine ape‭ (‬similar to Dryopithecus‭); ‬however there are others who consider Ouranopithecus to be a member of the Ponginae‭ (‬orangutan-like apes‭)‬.‭ ‬Usually however Ouranopithecus is placed within the Hominidae due to the shape and form of the sinuses,‭ ‬although it may also be a late surviving … Read more

Komba

In Depth        Komba is an extinct genus of galago,‭ ‬alternatively known as a bushbaby,‭ ‬that lived in Africa during the Miocene. Further Reading Further reading- Chapter 20: Later Tertiary Lorisiformes (Strepsirrhini, Primates), by Terry Harrison. – In, Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. University of California Press. pp. 333–349. – L. Werdelin & W. J. Sanders – … Read more

Teilhardina

In Depth        Teilhardina is a genus of small primate that is known to have existed during the early Eocene.‭ ‬Perceived to have been similar to a marmoset,‭ ‬fossils of Teilhardina have been reported from Belgium,‭ ‬France and China,‭ ‬but are particularly common from the USA. Further Reading -‭ ‬Early Eocene Teilhardina brandti:‭ ‬oldest omomyid primate … Read more

Oreopithecus

oreopithecus

In Depth        Oreopithecus is a paradox as while it is amongst the best known of fossil apes,‭ ‬there is still much confusion over how this primate lived and was related to other primates.‭ ‬This confusion is down to how Oreopithecus displays features that both suggest an arboreal life where it swung through the tree canopy,‭ … Read more