Afropithecus

• Lake Turkana, Kenya

Afropithecus turkanensis is an extinct species of primates that occurred during the early Miocene in East Africa. In the north of Kenya on the shores of Lake Turkana discovered fossils that have been found in this genus, published in 1986 comes the first description of genus and species, according to sedimentary layers whose age has been dated on the basis of index fossils to around 16 to 18 million years. The assignment of the genus to a particular family within the superfamily of human -like was designated in the description as " uncertain " ( " incertae sedis ").

As holotype of the facial skull KNM -WK was reported 16999 presumably a male individual in the first description by Richard Leakey and Meave Leakey, who during the excavation period 1985/86 as surface finds on Kalodirr (3 ° 20 ' N, 35 ° 40 ' E) - a watercourse to the river Kalakol - had been recovered. In this fossil bones in the forehead, the eyes, the nose and the dentate maxilla remained. Including several jaw fragments and more than a dozen teeth and tooth fragments were nominated by individuals as paratypes in the original description, which were at the time of her death, of different ages; particularly intact is the edentulous mandible KNM -WK 16840th Further finds from the reference Moruorot confirmed the classification of the type to the early Miocene. On the same locality 1985/86, the fossils to Turkanapithecus kalakolensis asked were discovered. Of custody of the finds is the Kenyan National Museum (hence KNM ) in Nairobi.

Afropithecus turkanensis is also the type species and is currently the only species of the genus Afropithecus. This name is derived from the locality in Africa as well as from the Greek word πίθηκος ( ancient Greek pronounced píthēkos: "Monkey "). The epithet refers to the turkanensis Lake Turkana.

Afropithecus turkanensis was a relatively large species with an elongated, narrow palate and - connected thereto - a pronounced snout. His body size was similar to that of Proconsul major, which a weight is attributed from 60 to 80 kg; 1988 confirmed further bone finds this body weight, the male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) is approximately equal. The demarcation of the findings against Sivapithecus, Ramapithecus, Kenyapithecus, Rangwapithecus and Proconsul was mainly basis of various features of the dentition. As already had the figures used for initial description fossils teeth vary widely developed, later succeeded to estimate the time point at which a breach in the teeth; According to these findings, the molar broke M1 by the age of about 28.2 to 43.5 months, which is comparable to the time when living chimpanzees ( 25.7 to 48.0 months).

Afropithecus turkanensis deemed to be an original way of Hominoidea with relatively thick enamel, which, however, is similar to other species of the Miocene Hominoidea. Since older types of Old World monkeys had thinner enamel and therefore probably mainly fed as a fruit eater, it is assumed that the front of around 17 million years living in Africa kinds, new, harder food sources - had opened up - for example, leaves and other hartfaserige food.

The 1997 bishopi designated as Morotopithecus fossils from Uganda have such a close resemblance to Afropithecus turkanensis that their status is disputed as a separate genus and species.