New Fossil Discoveries Highlight Europe's Crucial Role in Great Ape Evolution
Two Great Ape Species, Including a Tiny Newcomer, Coexisted in Ancient Germany 11.6 Million Years Ago
Recent fossil discoveries in Europe are reshaping our understanding of great ape evolution. In a significant find, two distinct lines of ancient apes have been identified in a Bavarian clay pit, revealing that Europe was once a diverse habitat for great apes. This marks the first time different species of ape, each with unique body structures and diets, have been found coexisting outside of Africa.
Danuvius guggenmosi: The Upright Walker
Germany’s Hammerschmiede site has been a treasure trove of ancient ape fossils. Among the most notable discoveries is Danuvius guggenmosi, an extinct great ape that lived 11.6 million years ago. This species, identified by a team led by paleontologist Madelaine Böhme from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, gained fame for potentially being the oldest known upright walker, as reported in 20191.
Discovery of Buronius manfredschmidi
In a recent development, Böhme and her team uncovered three fossils from the same sediment layer as Danuvius. These fossils belong to a newly identified great ape species named Buronius manfredschmidi. The finds include a partial upper molar and a kneecap likely from a young, sexually immature individual, and a partial lower premolar from an adult. This discovery, detailed in a study published on June 7 in PLOS One2, indicates that Buronius weighed around 10 kilograms, making it possibly the smallest known great ape.
Understanding Buronius’ Lifestyle
The researchers infer that Buronius had a diet of soft foods, as suggested by the thin enamel on its teeth. The structure of the kneecap points to adept climbing abilities, indicating that Buronius likely fed on leaves high in trees and sweet fruits during summer and fall. In contrast, Danuvius, which was about twice the size of Buronius, had teeth suited for tougher foods like nuts, roots, and small animals.
Coexistence of Miocene Great Apes
If the findings hold true, Hammerschmiede becomes the first known site outside Africa to host two Miocene great ape species simultaneously. The Miocene Period, spanning from 23 million to 5 million years ago, was crucial for the evolution of great apes, a group that includes modern chimps, gorillas, orangutans, and humans. Böhme asserts,
“Ecosystems in the Miocene of Europe enabled, perhaps even forced, the evolution of diverse ape lineages.”
Implications and Ongoing Debates
With the addition of Buronius, Europe now boasts 16 fossil ape genera related to modern great apes from between 16 million and 6 million years ago, more than twice the number found in Africa from the same period. However, the scant number of Buronius fossils leaves room for debate about its evolutionary status.
Paleoanthropologist Clément Zanolli from the University of Bordeaux notes that some features of the teeth resemble those of pliopithecoids, a group of Eurasian apes with no living descendants. Imaging studies of internal tooth structures are expected to provide clearer insights into Buronius' place in the ancient ape lineage.
Skepticism and Need for Further Research
Not all experts are convinced that Buronius is a distinct species. Sergio Almécija of the American Museum of Natural History suggests the fossils might belong to Danuvius infants. The kneecap's size, comparable to that of smaller modern orangutan adults, adds to the uncertainty. Kelsey Pugh from Brooklyn College emphasizes the need for more fossils to determine if the kneecap belonged to a young Danuvius that hadn’t reached adult size.
Conclusion
The discoveries at Hammerschmiede highlight the complexities of great ape and human evolution. Almécija summarizes the sentiment, stating,
“Hammerschmiede discoveries highlight how much we don’t know about the evolution of the great ape and human family, and of other primates, during the Miocene in Europe.”
These findings underscore Europe’s significant role in the evolutionary history of great apes and call for continued exploration and study.
Böhme, M., Spassov, N., Fuss, J., Tröscher, A., Deane, A. S., Prieto, J., Kirscher, U., Lechner, T., & Begun, D. R. (2019). A new Miocene ape and locomotion in the ancestor of great apes and humans. Nature, 575(7783), 489–493. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1731-0
Böhme, M., Begun, D. R., Holmes, A. C., Lechner, T., & Ferreira, G. (2024). Buronius manfredschmidi—A new small hominid from the early late Miocene of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany). PloS One, 19(6), e0301002. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301002