"Anoiapithecus brevirostris" could be one of our ancestors

[Date: 2008-07-08]
The discovery that the origin of the human species is very likely not as described on history school books, should appear shocking. By contrast, it is well-known that archaeologists and, more specifically, anthropologists, update daily our history.

Translated by Giusy Loglisci.

The findings, dating back to 2004, of remains of a jaw and of a great ape’s face, which have been unknown until now, have been randomly obtained in the dumping grand of Can Mata, located in Anoia, nearby Hostalets de Pierola in Catalonia (Spain).

Image - 1 - CanMata (Location where Anoiapithecus brevirostris has been found). View of the Can Mata dumping ground near Hostalets de Pierola (Spain)©Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

The researchers of the Catalan Institute of Paleontology, led by professor Salvador Moyá-Solá in partnership with professor Lorenzo Rook from the Geology Department of the Florence University, have obtained the findings of Anoiapithecus brevirostris, 38.000 macrovertebra and thousands and thousands of mammals’ small teeth.

Image - 2 - Anoiapithecus brevirostris Skull and jaw (Spain)©Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

The scientific name of Anoiapithecus brevirostris, the hominid dating back to 11,9 million years ago, later nicknamed as ‘Lluc’ comes from the compound of the following words:
Anoia", which means the place of the findings
"pithekos", which means “ape” in Greek
"brevis", which means “short” in Latin
"rostris" which means “snout” in Latin

The fossil remains, belonging to a very frail grown-up man, have been pieced together following a meticulous action of restoration. The discovery has been, without any doubts, one of the most unexpected.

The hominid – explains professor Rook – has physiognomy which has never been seen in any Miocene fossil and it is only comparable to the prognathism of our genre (which ‘pro’ means ’ before’ and ‘gnathos’ means jaw in Greek).

Image - 3 - Lorenzo Rook

The morphological studies carried out on the fossil remains prove the presence of physical features which are typical of modern hominids (such as the nasal opening is very wide behind, a high position of the root of the zygomatic arch and a very deep palate). These are associated with primordial and derived features (such as a thick dental enamel, a morphology of globular dental cusps and a strong jaw) especially of those great apes from Middle Miocene of Africa named "Afropitecidi".

Image - 4 – Reconstruction of "Lluc". Physiognomy in vivo of Anoiapithecus brevirostris, based on the artistic reconstruction carried out by Marta Palmero (collaboratrice ICP) (Spain)©Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Apart from these distinctive elements, there are other characteristics that have never reached the countries of the Mediterranean Europe. They are: the fore position of the zygomatic arch, a very protruding mandible and a very reduced jawbone breast which are specific of the African Kenyapithecines (Kenyapitecus and Griphopithecus).

It is possible to assume that our origins must be likely searched in the Mediterranean area and not in the African area as it has always been thought of. In truth, the researchers, responsible for the discovery, admit that hominids can be diversified in Eurasia, starting from the Kenyapithecines ancestors - of African origins - evolving later into Pongidae (chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans) and Homininae (Homo genre and African great apes).
The next researches carried out on site and in laboratory will allow to go in depth and to complete with the missing ring – this is the wish – the immense genealogical tree featured by the Homo sapiens sapiens that has been reaching our days by evolving more and more.

Bibliography

Kelley J (2002) In The Primate Fossil Record, ed Hartwig WC (Cambridge Univ Press, Cambridge, UK), pp 369-384.

Rae TC (1999) Mosaic evolution in the origin of the Hominoidea. Folia Primatol 70:125-135.

Moyà-Solà S, et al. (2009) First partial face and upperdentition of the Middle Miocene hominoid Dryopithecus fontani from Abocador de Can Mata (Vallés-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, NE Spain): Taxonomic and phylogenetic implications. Am J Phys Anthropol, in press.

Sitography

Institut Català de Paleontologia - Universitat AutÒnoma de Barcelona
www.icp.cat

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra - Università degli studi di Firenze
www.geo.unifi.it/