Pierolapithecus

Pierolapithecus
Temporal range: Miocene, 12.5–13 Ma
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Reconstruction of "Pierolapithecus catalaunicus"
Pierolapithecus catalaunicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: incertae sedis
Genus: †Pierolapithecus
Moyà-Solà et al., 2004
Species:
†P. catalaunicus
Binomial name
†Pierolapithecus catalaunicus

Pierolapithecus catalaunicus is an extinct species of primate which lived around 12.5-13 million years ago during the Miocene in what is now Hostalets de Pierola, Catalonia, Spain. Some researchers believe that it is a candidate for common ancestor to the great ape clade, or is at least closer than any previous fossil discovery.[1] Others suggest it being a pongine,[2] or a dryopith.[3] On 16 October 2023, scientists reported the facial reconstruction of the great ape.[4][5]

  1. ^ Rincon, Paul (18 November 2004). "'Original' great ape discovered". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pérez de los Ríos-2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sevim-Erol-2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Johnson, Mark (24 October 2023). "Scientists reconstructed the face of a 12 million-year-old great ape - Fossils of the extinct species Pierolapithecus catalaunicus may reveal clues about our origins". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  5. ^ Pugh, Kelsey D.; et al. (16 October 2023). "The reconstructed cranium of Pierolapithecus and the evolution of the great ape face". PNAS. 120 (44): e2218778120. Bibcode:2023PNAS..12018778P. doi:10.1073/pnas.2218778120. PMC 10622906. PMID 37844214.