Kenyapithecus

Kenyapithecus Temporal range: Middle Miocene
Kenyapithecus wickeri teeth
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Hominidae
Genus:	†Kenyapithecus Leakey, 1961[1]
Species:	†K. wickeri
Binomial name
†Kenyapithecus wickeri Leakey, 1961

Kenyapithecus wickeri is a fossil ape discovered by Louis Leakey in 1961 at a site called Fort Ternan in Kenya. The upper jaw and teeth were dated to 14 million years ago.^[2] One theory states that Kenyapithecus may be the common ancestor of all the great apes. More recent investigations suggest Kenyapithecus is more primitive than that and is only slightly more modern than Proconsul, which is considered to be an ape.

Evidence suggests that Kenyapithecus wickeri was one of the species that started a radiation of apes out of Africa.

Morphology

Impressed by Kenyapithecus's modern-looking teeth, Leakey declared Kenyapithecus to be "a very early ancestor of man himself."^[3]

Kenyapithecus possessed craniodental adaptations for hard object feeding including thicker molar enamel, and a large mandible, large premolars and upper incisors that are similar to those seen in living pitheciine monkeys.^[4] Kenyapithecus also possessed macaque-like limbs adapted for a knuckle-walking mode of semi-terrestrial locomotion.^[5] This could show that as hominins evolved, they passed through a knuckle-walking phase.

Kenyapithecus wickeri has very distinct features, especially details in the canine teeth and is similar to modern apes.

See also

• Chororapithecus
• Dryopithecus
• Nakalipithecus
• Pierolapithecus
• Samburupithecus

References

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Haplorhini

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Primates

Haplorhini
†"Omomyidae" Altanius? Altiatlasius? Bownomomys Kohatius Microchoerinae Indusomys Melaneremia Microchoerus Nannopithex Necrolemur Paraloris Pseudoloris Quercyloris Vectipithex "Anaptomorphinae" Absarokius Anaptomorphus Anemorhysis Arapahovius Aycrossia Chlororhysis Gazinius Pseudotetonius Sphacorhysis Strigorhysis Tatmanius Teilhardina Tetonius Tetonoides Trogolemur Walshina "Omomyinae" Ageitodendron Asiomomys Brontomomys Chipetaia Chumashius Diablomomys Dyseolemur Ekwiiyemakius Gunnelltarsius Hemiacodon Jemezius Loveina Macrotarsius Nesomomys Omomys Ourayia Rooneyia Shoshonius Steinius Stockia Uintanius Utahia Washakius Wyomomys Yaquius Tarkadectinae Tarka Tarkadectes Tarkops Tarsiiformes †Archicebus †Afrotarsiidae? †"Omomyidae"? Tarsiidae Carlito Cephalopachus †Hesperotarsius †Oligotarsius Tarsius †Xanthorhysis? Simiiformes see below↓

Simiiformes
Simiiformes †Altiatlasius? †Amamria †Aseanpithecus †Nosmips? †Phileosimias? †Afrotarsiidae? Afrasia Afrotarsius †Eosimiidae Bahinia Eosimias Phenacopithecus †Amphipithecidae Amphipithecus Bugtipithecus? Ganlea Krabia Myanmarpithecus Pondaungia Siamopithecus †Parapithecoidea Arsinoea Biretia Proteopithecidae Proteopithecus Serapia Parapithecidae Abuqatrania Apidium Parapithecus Qatrania Ucayalipithecus Platyrrhini †Parvimico †Perupithecus †Szalatavus †Canaanimico †Branisella †Lagonimico Aotidae Aotus †Tremacebus Pitheciidae †Antillothrix Cacajao Callicebus †Carlocebus †Cebupithecia Cheracebus Chiropotes †Homunculus †Insulacebus †Mazzonicebus †Miocallicebus †Nuciruptor Pithecia Plecturocebus †Proteropithecia †Soriacebus †Xenothrix Atelidae Alouatta Ateles Brachyteles †Caipora †Cartelles †Chilecebus Lagothrix †Mohanamico Oreonax †Paralouatta †Protopithecus †Solimoea †Stirtonia Cebidae †Acrecebus Cebus †Dolichocebus †Killikaike †Panamacebus †Patasola Saimiri Sapajus Callitrichidae Callimico Callithrix Cebuella Leontocebus Leontopithecus Mico †Micodon Saguinus Catarrhini see below↓

Catarrhini
Catarrhini †Micropithecus †Saadanius †Oligopithecidae Catopithecus Oligopithecus Talahpithecus †Propliopithecidae Aegyptopithecus Propliopithecus †Pliopithecoidea Krishnapithecus Paidopithex †Kapi Pliopithecidae Epipliopithecus Pliopithecus Dionysopithecidae Dionysopithecus Platodontopithecus Crouzeliidae Anapithecus Barberapithecus Crouzelia Egarapithecus Fanchangia Laccopithecus Plesiopliopithecus Cercopithecoidea †Alophe †Victoriapithecidae Noropithecus Nsungwepithecus? Prohylobates? Victoriapithecus Zaltanpithecus Colobinae †Cercopithecoides Colobus †Dolichopithecus †Kuseracolobus †Libypithecus †Mesopithecus †Microcolobus Nasalis †Paracolobus †Parapresbytis Piliocolobus Presbytis Procolobus Pygathrix †Rhinocolobus Rhinopithecus †Sawecolobus Semnopithecus Simias Trachypithecus Cercopithecinae Cercopithecini Allenopithecus Allochrocebus Cercopithecus Chlorocebus Erythrocebus Miopithecus †Nanopithecus Papionini Cercocebus †Dinopithecus †Gorgopithecus Lophocebus Macaca Mandrillus Papio †Paradolichopithecus †Parapapio †Pliopapio †Procercocebus †Procynocephalus Rungwecebus †Soromandrillus Theropithecus Hominoidea see below↓

Hominoidea
Hominoidea †Afropithecus †Ekembo †Equatorius †Griphopithecus †Kamoyapithecus? †Kenyapithecus †Morotopithecus †Nacholapithecus †Otavipithecus †Pliobates †Proconsul †Samburupithecus †Dendropithecidae Dendropithecus Micropithecus? Nyanzapithecus Oreopithecus? Rangwapithecus Rukwapithecus Simiolus Turkanapithecus Hylobatidae †Bunopithecus Hoolock Hylobates †Junzi Nomascus Symphalangus †Yuanmoupithecus Hominidae †Graecopithecus †Nakalipithecus †Ouranopithecus Ponginae †Ankarapithecus †Gigantopithecus †Indopithecus †Khoratpithecus †Lufengpithecus †Meganthropus Pongo †Sivapithecus Homininae †Dryopithecini Anoiapithecus Danuvius Dryopithecus Hispanopithecus? Pierolapithecus? Rudapithecus Gorillini †Chororapithecus? Gorilla †Nakalipithecus? Hominini Pan Hominina †Ardipithecus? †Australopithecus †Graecopithecus? Homo †Kenyanthropus †Orrorin? †Sahelanthropus? †Paranthropus