Yuanmoupithecus is an extinct genus of gibbons that lived 8.2 to 7.1 million years ago during the late Miocene.[1] As of 2022, it is the oldest gibbon known.[2][3] The fossils, mainly of teeth, were discovered from Yuanmou, Yunnan Province, China. The type species is Y. xiaoyuan, described by Yuerong Pan in 2006.[4]
Yuanmoupithecus fossils were discovered from the Late Miocene Xiaohe Formation in the Yuanmou Basin, Yunnan Province in southwest China. The first specimens were the first right molar and the second left molar found during an excavation between 1986 and 1990 at Fangbeiliangzi, a low hill near Xiaohe village, by a joint expedition of the Yunnan Provincial Museum, Chuxiong Prefectural Museum and the Yuanmou Man Museum. Five more teeth fragments were recovered in 1999 from Leilao village. In 2006, Yuerong Pan at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave the formal description and the scientific name.[4] Several additional teeth were collected from the surrounding areas between 2006 and 2022, including the lower face of a juvenile individual and a second left molar, which became the holotype specimen.[1] Most of the teeth were worn and incomplete and the identity of the primate could not be resolved. However, two complete teeth collected at Leilao in 2006 gave a clear picture of the fossils. Presenting the analysis of the two teeth at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Terry Harrison of New York University confirmed that the specimens are closely related to modern gibbons, remarking the species as "an early gibbon ancestor" in 2008.[5] The species became one of the well-established Miocene primates, as Bruce Grant, colleague of Harrison, explained:
Perhaps the most exciting finding (reported in this years AAPA meetings [in 2008]) was the discovery that Yuanmoupithecus represents the earliest known fossil gibbon. I have been hunting for ancestral gibbons all of my professional life, debunking most of the purported candidates, so I'm especially excited about these discoveries.[6]
After additional collections of seven complete teeth and an upper jaw, detailed description and evolutionary implications were published in the Journal of Human Evolution in 2022.[1][3]
Description and importanceedit
The gibbon family separated from the apes around 17 to 22 million years ago.[7] Miocene primates between 14 and 21 million years old have been known from Africa,[3] so that gibbons are presumed to originate in Africa.[8] However, there is a large gap of fossil record around 10 million years old that would link the gibbon family tree from those of African species to other parts of the world. The oldest gibbon fossils are about 2 million years old that are found in Asia.[2] At around 8.2 to 7.1 million years old, Yuanmoupithecus fits well the large gap of the missing fossil lines, and is considered to be an important intermediate species between monkeys and great apes.[9]
According to estimates, Yuanmoupithecus is about the size of modern gibbons, weighing around 16 kg.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcJi, Xueping; Harrison, Terry; Zhang, Yingqi; Wu, Yun; Zhang, Chunxia; Hu, Jinming; Wu, Dongdong; Hou, Yemao; Li, Song; Wang, Guofu; Wang, Zhenzhen (2022). "The earliest hylobatid from the Late Miocene of China". Journal of Human Evolution. 171: 103251. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103251. ISSN 0047-2484. PMID 36113226. S2CID 252243877.
^ abc"Earliest gibbon fossil gives clues about history of apes". BBC Newsround. 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
^ abcCaton, Emma (2022-11-07). "Earliest gibbon fossil unlocks clues about the history of apes". The Natural History Museum, London.
^ abPan, Y. (2006). "Primates". In Qi, G.; Dong, W. (eds.). Lufengpithecus hudienensis Site. Beijing: Science Press. pp. 131–148.
^Bower, Bruce (2008-04-24). "China was an ancient-ape paradise". ScienceNews. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
^Grant, B. (2008). "Faculty News" (PDF). Newsletter of the Department of Anthropology, New York University. 21: 11–12.
^Harrison, Terry (2016), Reichard, Ulrich H.; Hirai, Hirohisa; Barelli, Claudia (eds.), "The Fossil Record and Evolutionary History of Hylobatids", Evolution of Gibbons and Siamang: Phylogeny, Morphology, and Cognition, Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 91–110, doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-5614-2_4, ISBN978-1-4939-5614-2, retrieved 2024-04-25
^Walters, Sam (2022-09-16). "Earliest Gibbon Fossils Fill in the Gaps of Primate Evolution". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
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yuanmoupithecus, extinct, genus, gibbons, that, lived, million, years, during, late, miocene, 2022, oldest, gibbon, known, fossils, mainly, teeth, were, discovered, from, yuanmou, yunnan, province, china, type, species, xiaoyuan, described, yuerong, 2006, temp. Yuanmoupithecus is an extinct genus of gibbons that lived 8 2 to 7 1 million years ago during the late Miocene 1 As of 2022 it is the oldest gibbon known 2 3 The fossils mainly of teeth were discovered from Yuanmou Yunnan Province China The type species is Y xiaoyuan described by Yuerong Pan in 2006 4 YuanmoupithecusTemporal range Late Miocene 8 2 7 1 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Primates Suborder Haplorhini Infraorder Simiiformes Family Hylobatidae Genus YuanmoupithecusPan 2006 Species Y xiaoyuan Binomial name Yuanmoupithecus xiaoyuanPan 2006Discovery editYuanmoupithecus fossils were discovered from the Late Miocene Xiaohe Formation in the Yuanmou Basin Yunnan Province in southwest China The first specimens were the first right molar and the second left molar found during an excavation between 1986 and 1990 at Fangbeiliangzi a low hill near Xiaohe village by a joint expedition of the Yunnan Provincial Museum Chuxiong Prefectural Museum and the Yuanmou Man Museum Five more teeth fragments were recovered in 1999 from Leilao village In 2006 Yuerong Pan at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Chinese Academy of Sciences gave the formal description and the scientific name 4 Several additional teeth were collected from the surrounding areas between 2006 and 2022 including the lower face of a juvenile individual and a second left molar which became the holotype specimen 1 Most of the teeth were worn and incomplete and the identity of the primate could not be resolved However two complete teeth collected at Leilao in 2006 gave a clear picture of the fossils Presenting the analysis of the two teeth at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists Terry Harrison of New York University confirmed that the specimens are closely related to modern gibbons remarking the species as an early gibbon ancestor in 2008 5 The species became one of the well established Miocene primates as Bruce Grant colleague of Harrison explained Perhaps the most exciting finding reported in this years AAPA meetings in 2008 was the discovery that Yuanmoupithecus represents the earliest known fossil gibbon I have been hunting for ancestral gibbons all of my professional life debunking most of the purported candidates so I m especially excited about these discoveries 6 After additional collections of seven complete teeth and an upper jaw detailed description and evolutionary implications were published in the Journal of Human Evolution in 2022 1 3 Description and importance editThe gibbon family separated from the apes around 17 to 22 million years ago 7 Miocene primates between 14 and 21 million years old have been known from Africa 3 so that gibbons are presumed to originate in Africa 8 However there is a large gap of fossil record around 10 million years old that would link the gibbon family tree from those of African species to other parts of the world The oldest gibbon fossils are about 2 million years old that are found in Asia 2 At around 8 2 to 7 1 million years old Yuanmoupithecus fits well the large gap of the missing fossil lines and is considered to be an important intermediate species between monkeys and great apes 9 According to estimates Yuanmoupithecus is about the size of modern gibbons weighing around 16 kg 2 References edit a b c Ji Xueping Harrison Terry Zhang Yingqi Wu Yun Zhang Chunxia Hu Jinming Wu Dongdong Hou Yemao Li Song Wang Guofu Wang Zhenzhen 2022 The earliest hylobatid from the Late Miocene of China Journal of Human Evolution 171 103251 doi 10 1016 j jhevol 2022 103251 ISSN 0047 2484 PMID 36113226 S2CID 252243877 a b c Earliest gibbon fossil gives clues about history of apes BBC Newsround 2022 09 29 Retrieved 2024 04 25 a b c Caton Emma 2022 11 07 Earliest gibbon fossil unlocks clues about the history of apes The Natural History Museum London a b Pan Y 2006 Primates In Qi G Dong W eds Lufengpithecus hudienensis Site Beijing Science Press pp 131 148 Bower Bruce 2008 04 24 China was an ancient ape paradise ScienceNews Retrieved 2024 04 25 Grant B 2008 Faculty News PDF Newsletter of the Department of Anthropology New York University 21 11 12 Liu jia 2022 09 29 Earliest Gibbon Fossil Discovered in SW China s Yunnan Fills Evolutionary Gap english cas cn Retrieved 2024 04 25 Harrison Terry 2016 Reichard Ulrich H Hirai Hirohisa Barelli Claudia eds The Fossil Record and Evolutionary History of Hylobatids Evolution of Gibbons and Siamang Phylogeny Morphology and Cognition Developments in Primatology Progress and Prospects New York NY Springer pp 91 110 doi 10 1007 978 1 4939 5614 2 4 ISBN 978 1 4939 5614 2 retrieved 2024 04 25 Walters Sam 2022 09 16 Earliest Gibbon Fossils Fill in the Gaps of Primate Evolution Discover Magazine Retrieved 2024 04 25 nbsp This prehistoric primate related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w 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