Egypt Fossil Reveals 17-Million-Year-Old Ape, Challenging East Africa Origin Theory
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · Jun 30
Egypt Fossil Reveals 17-Million-Year-Old Ape, Challenging East Africa Origin Theory
1 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · Jun 30
Summary
A lower jaw from Wadi Moghra in northern Egypt has been identified as Masripithecus moghraensis, the first definitive North African ape fossil, dated to about 17 million to 18 million years ago.
Science-published analyses place Masripithecus closer to living apes than any known Early Miocene ape from East Africa, challenging the long-held view that modern apes originated around East Africa.
Its large canines, robust jaw and textured molars point to a mainly fruit-based but flexible diet that could handle harder foods, an apparent adaptation to increasingly seasonal climates in North Africa and Arabia.
Biogeographic modeling suggests northern Africa and the Middle East may have hosted the common ancestor of all living apes, with shifting sea levels and plate movements creating a corridor into Europe and Asia.
Researchers say the 2023-2024 find could be the first of more fossils from the region, which may reshape how scientists trace early ape diversification and dispersal.
What allowed this ancient ape to thrive in North Africa, and what else lies hidden there?
A new ape ancestor has been found, but how does this change the story of human origins?
Did the cradle of ape evolution just shift from East Africa to Egypt?
Discovery of 17–18 Million-Year-Old *Masripithecus moghraensis* in North Africa Challenges East African Ape Origin Theory
Overview
The discovery of Masripithecus moghraensis, the first fossilized ape found in North Africa, is a major breakthrough that challenges long-held beliefs about the origins of modern apes. Unearthed in Egypt, this fossil suggests that the ancestors of today’s apes may have originated in North Africa, not just East Africa as previously thought. This finding broadens the geographical scope of ape evolution and enriches our understanding of early hominoids. It also highlights the vast potential for future paleontological research in underexplored regions, opening new possibilities for uncovering more about our evolutionary history.