Pierolapithecus catalaunicus
Encyclopedia
Pierolapithecus catalaunicus is an extinct species of primate
which lived about 13 million years ago during the Miocene
in what is now Hostalets de Pierola, Catalonia
(Spain
) giving the name to the species. It is believed by some to be a common ancestor of both modern human
s and the other great apes, or at least a species that brings us closer to a common ancestor than any previous fossil discovery.
The species was described by a team of Spanish
paleoanthropologists led by Salvador Moyà-Solà
on the basis of a fossil
specimen discovered in December 2002. The finding was first reported in the journal
Science
on November 19, 2004.
Pierolapithecus had special adaptations for tree climbing, just as humans and other great apes do: a wide, flat ribcage, a stiff lower spine, flexible wrists, and shoulder blades that lay along its back. Monkey
s and lesser apes show more generalized characteristics. The ape does have more primitive, monkeylike features, however, such as a sloped face and short fingers and toes.
The hypothesis that this new species was an ancestor
of all modern great apes is controversial
due to its location in Spain, since all the existing great ape species live in either Southeast Asia
or Africa
, and Africa has been the location for so much of the evolution of great apes and human
s. However, the Mediterranean Sea
expanded and contracted frequently in the past, permitting the dispersal of life between Africa and Europe
and the Pierolapithecus could have lived on both continents.
Rather than a full common ancestor, it has been suggested that the species may be ancestral to human
s, chimpanzee
s and gorilla
s but not orangutan
s, given certain characteristics of the face.
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
which lived about 13 million years ago during the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
in what is now Hostalets de Pierola, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) giving the name to the species. It is believed by some to be a common ancestor of both modern human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s and the other great apes, or at least a species that brings us closer to a common ancestor than any previous fossil discovery.
The species was described by a team of Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
paleoanthropologists led by Salvador Moyà-Solà
Salvador Moyà-Solà
Salvador Moyà-Solà is a Spanish anthropologist. He works in the Instituto de Paleontología Miquel Crusafont in Sabadell, Catalonia. From 1983 to 2006, he was affiliated with the Diputación Provincial de Barcelona. In 2006 he became investigator of the Physical Anthropology unit of the Universidad...
on the basis of a fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
specimen discovered in December 2002. The finding was first reported in the journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
on November 19, 2004.
Pierolapithecus had special adaptations for tree climbing, just as humans and other great apes do: a wide, flat ribcage, a stiff lower spine, flexible wrists, and shoulder blades that lay along its back. Monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s and lesser apes show more generalized characteristics. The ape does have more primitive, monkeylike features, however, such as a sloped face and short fingers and toes.
The hypothesis that this new species was an ancestor
Ancestor
An ancestor is a parent or the parent of an ancestor ....
of all modern great apes is controversial
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
due to its location in Spain, since all the existing great ape species live in either Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
or Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and Africa has been the location for so much of the evolution of great apes and human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s. However, the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
expanded and contracted frequently in the past, permitting the dispersal of life between Africa and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Pierolapithecus could have lived on both continents.
Rather than a full common ancestor, it has been suggested that the species may be ancestral to human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s, chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
s and gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
s but not orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s, given certain characteristics of the face.