Researchers In Germany Discovered Two Fossilized Teeth Belonging To A New Primate Species That Was About The Size Of A Dog And Lived In Warm Forests 11.6 Million Years Ago
Within the forests of prehistoric Germany, there lived a species of primate that paleontologists believe was the smallest of the great apes. It was roughly the size of a small dog! In comparison, the gorillas of today can weigh almost 500 pounds.
A team of researchers from the University of Tübingen made the distinction after uncovering two fossilized teeth and a kneecap belonging to a previously unknown primate at a site called Hammerschmiede in southern Germany. The new primate is named Buronius manfredschmidi, and it lived in warm forests about 11.6 million years ago.
Initially, the researchers believed the finds were of pliopithecines, prehistoric monkeys that lived in Eurasia during the Miocene, which extended from 23 million to 5.3 million years ago.
The upper molar and kneecap were found right next to each other in 2011. The second tooth was uncovered in 2017. They could not confirm that the fossils came from a primate until 2015 when the remains of another great ape were unearthed at the same site.
The bones were of a hominid that was eventually named Danuvius guggenmosi. It was estimated that the ape could weigh up to 68 pounds and was much larger than the creature they discovered in 2011.
After re-examining the teeth and kneecap, the team came to the conclusion that the fossils represented Buronius, the smallest known hominid.
However, some researchers are uncertain that Buronius and Danuvius are different species. They argue that the fossilized kneecap could have come from a juvenile or a different gender of Danuvius.
Female and male apes, both modern and extinct, can vary greatly in size. So, they believe the small kneecap does not provide enough evidence to determine what species of primate it belongs to.
That leaves scientists with the molars to distinguish the apes from one another. There is a significant difference in size between the molars of Buronius and Danuvius.
Andrew Mayovskyy – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
In addition, the enamel of the Buronius molar is thinner than that of Danuvius, indicating that the smaller ape ate softer foods, such as leaves. These features support the idea that Buronius and Danuvius are different species.
Their differences in diet also offer a look at the landscape that grew in the area they inhabited during the Miocene. Back when they were alive, the region now known as Bavaria was flat and swampy.
The place where the fossils were preserved used to be a stream surrounded by dense, scrubby plants that grew along the banks.
Furthermore, the climate was warmer back then, but the area still experienced seasonal changes that caused the plants to die every winter.
So, the apes would have to adjust their foraging habits to the seasons. The different foods they ate allowed the two species to coexist, highlighting their resourcefulness.
The new study was published in PLOS One.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings