Masripithecus: A new Miocene ape from Egypt sheds light on the origins of modern apes

Key Points:

• Researchers from Mansoura University and the University of Southern California identified Masripithecus moghraensis, a new fossil ape species from northern Egypt dating back 17–18 million years, marking the first definitive fossil ape found in North Africa.
• This discovery extends the known geographic range of early apes and suggests that northern Africa and the Middle East were central to the evolutionary transition leading to modern apes, challenging previous beliefs that early apes were confined to southern Africa.
• The fossil, consisting of a lower jaw with distinctive large teeth and a robust structure, indicates Masripithecus had a versatile, mainly fruit-based diet capable of processing harder foods, aiding its survival amid climatic changes during the Early Miocene.
• Phylogenetic analyses show Masripithecus is more closely related to living apes than Early Miocene species from East Africa, with biogeographic evidence pointing to northern Africa and the Middle East as the likely origin of the common ancestor of all living apes.
• The findings prompt a reevaluation of ape origins, shifting focus from East Africa to northern Africa and the Middle East, and highlight the potential for further important fossil discoveries in these underexplored regions.