The smallest known great ape has been discovered in Germany, dating back to 11 million years ago. This tiny creature, far smaller than any other great ape on record, is estimated to have weighed about 10 kilograms (1st 8lbs), roughly the size of a human toddler. The species, named Buronius manfredschmidi, is an ancient hominid, part of the ancestral family that gave rise to modern humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
“This new genus is far smaller than any living or any fossil hominid,” said Prof. Madelaine Böhme, a palaeontologist at the University of Tübingen who led the research. “That makes it quite unusual.”
Coexistence with Larger Hominid
Another surprising element is that the newly discovered species is thought to have coexisted with another, much larger hominid called Danuvius guggenmosi. Fossil remains of the larger ape had previously been dated to the same period at the same fossil site in Bavaria.
Physical Characteristics and Diet
The new miniature ape is represented by partial remains of two teeth and one kneecap. The size and shape of these fossils suggest that Buronius was an adept climber. The thin enamel and light wear on its teeth indicate that it ate a diet of soft fruits and leaves. Its small size would have allowed it to live high up in the canopy. By contrast, Danuvius was much taller and sturdier, is thought to have been an omnivore, and some argue that adaptations for load-bearing in its knee joints provide evidence of a primitive form of bipedalism.
Habitat Sharing
The differences in lifestyle likely allowed the two species to share a habitat without competing for resources, similar to modern gibbons and orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra. The discovery could help scientists understand the diversity of hominids during the late Miocene epoch when at least 16 species of great ape were present in Europe.
Evolutionary Insights
Böhme said it was unclear how Buronius came to be so much smaller than other hominids, but one possibility is that its size allowed it to occupy a different ecological niche from its larger neighbor. Another possibility is that Buronius represents a more ancestral version of great apes.
“It’s hard to say why there are no small hominids living today,” she said. “In evolutionary lineages, you normally start small and get bigger, and [once you’re bigger] you don’t normally go back.”
The discovery of Buronius manfredschmidi provides new insights into the evolutionary history of great apes and highlights the diversity of hominid species that once inhabited Europe.
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