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Ouranopithecus Temporal range: Miocene, 9.6–7.4 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Ouranopithecus macedoniensis skull in the French National Museum of Natural History, Paris
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Hominidae
Tribe:	†Graecopithecini
Genus:	†Ouranopithecus Bonis & Melentis, 1977
Species
†Ouranopithecus macedoniensis †Ouranopithecus turkae

Ouranopithecus is a genus of extinct Eurasian great ape represented by two species, Ouranopithecus macedoniensis, a late Miocene (9.6–8.7 mya) hominoid from Greece and Ouranopithecus turkae, also from the late Miocene (8.7–7.4 mya) of Turkey.

The first specimen O. macedoniensis was discovered by French palaeontologists Louis de Bonis and Jean Melentis in 1977, and O. turkae by Turkish team led by Erksin Savaş Güleç in 2007. For a long time it was considered as similar (synonymous) to Graecopithecus and member of the genus Sivapithecus, which more discoveries proved otherwise.

Description and systematics

Based on O. macedoniensis' dental and facial anatomy, it has been suggested that Ouranopithecus was actually a dryopithecine. However, it is probably more closely related to the Ponginae. Some researchers consider O. macedoniensis to be the last common ancestor of humans (hominins) and the other apes, and a forerunner to australopithecines and humans, although this is very controversial and not widely accepted. It is true that O. macedoniensis shares derived features with some early hominins (such as the frontal sinus, a cavity in the forehead), but they are almost certainly not closely related species.

In 1984, British palaeontologists Peter Andrews and Lawrence B. Martin classified Graecopithecus and Ouranopithecus as synonyms (same taxon) and treated them as members of the genus Sivapithecus. However, comparative analysis showed that there is not enough data to support the synonymy.

When more O. macedoniensis fossils were discovered including part of the skull in the 1990s, it became apparent that O. macedoniensis and G. freybergi are distinct species. In the light of new data, in 1997, Australian palaeontologist David W. Cameron treated Graecopithecus as a valid genus based on taxonomic priority and renamed O. macedoniensis as Graecopithecus macedoniensis. However, better O. macedoniensis specimens were found including a new species Ouranopithecus turkae from Turkey that warranted separation of the genus.

In addition, a meticulous re-description of Graecopithecus specimens in 2017 further evidenced that Graecopithecus is more related to humans than to apes, while Ouranopithecus specimens have strict ape-like characters. Separate genus are therefore continued to be generally adopted.

See also

• Anoiapithecus – Extinct genus of ape from the Miocene
• Chororapithecus – Extinct hominine genus from the Miocene
• Dryopithecus – Extinct great ape from Europe
• Nakalipithecus – Extinct species of ape
• Pierolapithecus – Extinct species of ape from Miocene Europe
• Samburupithecus – Extinct genus of primate from Miocene Kenya

References

1. de Bonis, Louis; Melentis, J (1977). "Les primates hominoides du Vallésien de Macédoine (Grèce). Étude de la machoire inférieure". Geobios. 10 (6): 849–855. Bibcode:1977Geobi..10..849D. doi:10.1016/s0016-6995(77)80081-8.
2. ^ Gulec, Erksin S.; et al. (2007). "A new great ape from the lower Miocene of Turkey". Anthropological Science. 115 (2): 153–158. doi:10.1537/ase.070501.
3. de Bonis, Louis; Melentis, Jean (1977). "Les primates hominoides du Vallésien de Macédoine (Grèce). Étude de la machoire inférieure". Geobios. 10 (6): 849–885. Bibcode:1977Geobi..10..849D. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(77)80081-8.
4. Martin, L.B.; Andrews, P. (1984). "The phyletic position of Graecopithecus freybergi Koenigswald". Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. 69: 25–40.
5. Alba, D.M.; Fortuny, J.; Moya-Sola, S.; et al. (2010). "Enamel thickness in the middle Miocene great apes Anoiapithecus, Picrolapithecus and Dryopithecus". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 277 (1691): 2237–2245. doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.0218. PMC 2880156. PMID 20335211.
6. Begun, David R. (2005). "Relations among great apes and humans: New interpretations based on the fossil great ape Dryopithecus". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 37: 11–63. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330370604.
7. de Bonis, Louis; et al. (1990). "New hominoid skull material from the late Miocene of Macedonia in Northern Greece". Nature. 345 (6277): 712–4. Bibcode:1990Natur.345..712D. doi:10.1038/345712a0. PMID 2193230. S2CID 4259387.
8. de Bonis, Louis; Koufos, George D. (2004). "Ouranopithecus and dating the splitting of extant hominoids". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 3 (4): 257–264. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2004.04.002.
9. de Bonis, Louis; et al. (1981). "Dental metric variation in early Hominids comparison between Australopithecus afarensis and Ouranopithecus macedoniensis". Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences. Serie III Sciences de la Vie. 292: 263–266.
10. Martin, L.B.; Andrews, P. (1984). "The phyletic position of Graecopithecus freybergi Koenigswald". Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. 69: 25–40.
11. Andrews, Martin L. (1984). "The phylogenetic position of Graeceopithecus freybergi Koenigswald". Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. 69: 25–40.
12. Koufos, George D.; de Bonis, Louis (2005). "The late Miocene Hominoids Ouranopithecus and Graeceopithecus. Implications about their relationships and taxonomy". Annales de Paléontologie. 91 (3): 227–240. Bibcode:2005AnPal..91..227K. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2005.05.001.
13. Koufos, G. D. (1993). "Mandible of Ouranopithecus macedoniensis (Hominidae, Primates) from a new late miocene locality of Macedonia (Greece)". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 91 (2): 225–234. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330910208. PMID 8317563.
14. de Bonis, L.; Bouvrain, G.; Geraads, D.; Koufos, G. (1990). "New hominid skull material from the late Miocene of Macedonia in northern Greece". Nature. 345 (6277): 712–714. Bibcode:1990Natur.345..712D. doi:10.1038/345712a0. PMID 2193230. S2CID 4259387.
15. Cameron, David W. (1997). "The taxonomic status of Graecopithecus". Primates. 38 (3): 293–302. doi:10.1007/BF02381616. S2CID 28982498.
16. Cameron, D. W. (1997). "A revised systematic scheme for the Eurasian Miocene fossil Hominidae". Journal of Human Evolution. 33 (4): 449–477. Bibcode:1997JHumE..33..449C. doi:10.1006/jhev.1997.0145. PMID 9361253.
17. Ioannidou, Melania; Koufos, George D.; de Bonis, Louis; Harvati, Katerina (2019). "A new three-dimensional geometric morphometrics analysis of the Ouranopithecus macedoniensis cranium (Late Miocene, Central Macedonia, Greece)". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 170 (2): 295–307. doi:10.1002/ajpa.23900. PMID 31339568. S2CID 198194561.
18. Güleç, Erksin Savas; Sevim, Ayla; Pehlevan, Cesur; Kaya, Ferhat (2007). "A new great ape from the late Miocene of Turkey". Anthropological Science. 115 (2): 153–158. doi:10.1537/ase.070501. ISSN 0918-7960.
19. Fuss, Jochen; Spassov, Nikolai; Begun, David R.; Böhme, Madelaine (2017). "Potential hominin affinities of Graecopithecus from the Late Miocene of Europe". PLOS ONE. 12 (5): e0177127. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1277127F. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0177127. PMC 5439669. PMID 28531170.
20. Andrews, Peter (2020). "Last Common Ancestor of Apes and Humans: Morphology and Environment". Folia Primatologica. 91 (2): 122–148. doi:10.1159/000501557. PMID 31533109. S2CID 202687516.
21. Gilbert, Christopher C.; Pugh, Kelsey D.; Fleagle, John G. (2020), Prasad, Guntupalli V.R.; Patnaik, Rajeev (eds.), "Dispersal of Miocene Hominoids (and Pliopithecoids) from Africa to Eurasia in Light of Changing Tectonics and Climate", Biological Consequences of Plate Tectonics: New Perspectives on Post-Gondwana Break-up–A Tribute to Ashok Sahni, Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 393–412, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49753-8_17, ISBN 978-3-030-49753-8, S2CID 229622942, retrieved 2021-11-16
22. Almécija, Sergio; Hammond, Ashley S.; Thompson, Nathan E.; Pugh, Kelsey D.; Moyà-Solà, Salvador; Alba, David M. (2021). "Fossil apes and human evolution". Science. 372 (6542): eabb4363. doi:10.1126/science.abb4363. PMID 33958446. S2CID 233872889.

External links

• Human Timeline (Interactive) – Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History (August 2016).

v t e Haplorhini
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates
Haplorhini †"Omomyidae" Altanius? Altiatlasius? Bownomomys Kohatius Microchoerinae Indusomys Melaneremia Microchoerus Nannopithex Necrolemur Paraloris Pseudoloris Quercyloris Vectipithex "Anaptomorphinae" Absarokius Anaptomorphus Anemorhysis Arapahovius Aycrossia Chlororhysis Gazinius Pseudotetonius Sphacorhysis Strigorhysis Tatmanius Teilhardina Tetonius Tetonoides Trogolemur Walshina "Omomyinae" Ageitodendron Asiomomys Brontomomys Chipetaia Chumashius Diablomomys Dyseolemur Ekwiiyemakius Gunnelltarsius Hemiacodon Jemezius Loveina Macrotarsius Nesomomys Omomys Ourayia Rooneyia Shoshonius Steinius Stockia Uintanius Utahia Washakius Wyomomys Yaquius Tarkadectinae Tarka Tarkadectes Tarkops Tarsiiformes †Archicebus †Afrotarsiidae? †"Omomyidae"? Tarsiidae Carlito Cephalopachus †Hesperotarsius †Oligotarsius Tarsius †Xanthorhysis? Simiiformes see below↓
Simiiformes Simiiformes †Altiatlasius? †Amamria †Aseanpithecus †Nosmips? †Phileosimias? †Afrotarsiidae? Afrasia Afrotarsius †Eosimiidae Bahinia Eosimias Phenacopithecus †Amphipithecidae Amphipithecus Bugtipithecus? Ganlea Krabia Myanmarpithecus Pondaungia Siamopithecus †Parapithecoidea Arsinoea Biretia Proteopithecidae Proteopithecus Serapia Parapithecidae Abuqatrania Apidium Parapithecus Qatrania Ucayalipithecus Platyrrhini †Parvimico †Perupithecus †Szalatavus †Canaanimico †Branisella †Lagonimico Aotidae Aotus †Tremacebus Pitheciidae †Antillothrix Cacajao Callicebus †Carlocebus †Cebupithecia Cheracebus Chiropotes †Homunculus †Insulacebus †Mazzonicebus †Miocallicebus †Nuciruptor Pithecia Plecturocebus †Proteropithecia †Soriacebus †Xenothrix Atelidae Alouatta Ateles Brachyteles †Caipora †Cartelles †Chilecebus Lagothrix †Mohanamico Oreonax †Paralouatta †Protopithecus †Solimoea †Stirtonia Cebidae †Acrecebus Cebus †Dolichocebus †Killikaike †Panamacebus †Patasola Saimiri Sapajus Callitrichidae Callimico Callithrix Cebuella Leontocebus Leontopithecus Mico †Micodon Saguinus Catarrhini see below↓
Catarrhini Catarrhini †Micropithecus †Saadanius †Oligopithecidae Catopithecus Oligopithecus Talahpithecus †Propliopithecidae Aegyptopithecus Propliopithecus †Pliopithecoidea Krishnapithecus Paidopithex †Kapi Pliopithecidae Epipliopithecus Pliopithecus Dionysopithecidae Dionysopithecus Platodontopithecus Crouzeliidae Anapithecus Barberapithecus Crouzelia Egarapithecus Fanchangia Laccopithecus Plesiopliopithecus Pliobates Cercopithecoidea †Alophe †Victoriapithecidae Noropithecus Nsungwepithecus? Prohylobates? Victoriapithecus Zaltanpithecus Colobinae †Cercopithecoides Colobus †Dolichopithecus †Kuseracolobus †Libypithecus †Mesopithecus †Microcolobus Nasalis †Paracolobus †Parapresbytis Piliocolobus Presbytis Procolobus Pygathrix †Rhinocolobus Rhinopithecus †Sawecolobus Semnopithecus Simias Trachypithecus Cercopithecinae Cercopithecini Allenopithecus Allochrocebus Cercopithecus Chlorocebus Erythrocebus Miopithecus †Nanopithecus Papionini Cercocebus †Dinopithecus †Gorgopithecus Lophocebus Macaca Mandrillus Papio †Paradolichopithecus †Parapapio †Pliopapio †Procercocebus †Procynocephalus Rungwecebus †Soromandrillus Theropithecus Hominoidea see below↓
Hominoidea Hominoidea †Afropithecus †Ekembo †Equatorius †Griphopithecus †Kamoyapithecus? †Kenyapithecus †Morotopithecus †Nacholapithecus †Otavipithecus †Proconsul †Samburupithecus †Dendropithecidae Dendropithecus Micropithecus? Nyanzapithecus Oreopithecus? Rangwapithecus Rukwapithecus Simiolus Turkanapithecus Hylobatidae †Bunopithecus Hoolock Hylobates †Junzi Nomascus Symphalangus †Yuanmoupithecus Hominidae †Buronius †Graecopithecus †Nakalipithecus †Ouranopithecus Ponginae †Ankarapithecus †Gigantopithecus †Indopithecus †Khoratpithecus †Lufengpithecus †Meganthropus Pongo †Sivapithecus Homininae †Dryopithecini Anoiapithecus Danuvius Dryopithecus Hispanopithecus? Pierolapithecus? Rudapithecus Gorillini †Chororapithecus? Gorilla †Nakalipithecus? Hominini Pan Hominina †Ardipithecus? †Australopithecus †Graecopithecus? Homo †Kenyanthropus †Orrorin? †Sahelanthropus? †Paranthropus

• Evolutionary biology
• Paleontology
• Science

• Hominidae
• Fossil taxa described in 1977
• Miocene primates of Asia
• Miocene primates of Europe
• Prehistoric apes
• Prehistoric primate genera
• Prehistoric Greece