Abstract
THE evolution of skeletal adaptations to orthograde postures, characteristic of extant hominoids, is of great interest as it provides the key to understanding the origins of apes and humans. We report here the recent discovery of an extraordinary partial skeleton of Dryopithecus laietanus from Can Llobateres (Spain). It provides evidence that orthograde postures and locomotion appeared at least 9.5 million years ago1. Our results indicate that the body structure of this Miocene ape closely resembles that of extant hominoids2,3 and differs from the prono-grade pattern of Miocene proconsulids4,5 in a set of important morphological characters. Dryopithecusalso shows more traits reflecting structural adaptations for suspension than occurs in African apes. A similar positional behaviour is inferred for Sivapithecus indicus, thus strengthening previous hypotheses linking both Miocene forms with Pongo6–9.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agusti, J. et al. J. hum. Evol. (in the press).
Erikson, G. E. Symp. zool. Soc. Land. 10, 136–164 (1963).
Andrews, P. & Groves, C. in Gibbon and Siamang 167–218 (Karger, Basel, 1976).
Ward, C. V. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 92, 291–328 (1993).
Rose, M. D. J. hum. Evol. 26, 387–412 (1994).
Andrews, P. & Cronin, J. E. Nature 297, 541–546 (1982).
Pilbeam, D. Nature 295, 232–234 (1982).
Moyà Solà, S. & Köhler, M. Nature 365, 543–545 (1993).
Moyà Solà, S. & Köhler, M. J. hum. Evol. 28, 101–139 (1995).
Napier, J. R. & Davis, P. R. The Fore-limb Skeleton and Associated Remains of Proconsul africanus 1–69 (British Museum Natural History, London, 1959).
Hürzeler, J. Ann. Paleont. Vert. 54, 195–233 (1968).
Harrison, T. J. hum. Evol. 15, 541–583 (1986).
Jungers, W. L. J. hum. Evol. 16, 445–456 (1987).
Sanders, W. J. & Bodenbender, B. E. J. hum. Evol. 26, 203–238 (1994).
Ward, C. V., Walker, A., Teaford, M. F. & Odhiambo, I. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 90, 77–111 (1993).
Jungers, W. L. J. hum. Evol. 16, 445–456 (1987).
Jungers, W. L. in Body Size in Mammalian Paleobiology. Estimation and Biological Implications (eds Damuth, J. & MacFadden, B. J.) 107–118 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990).
Aiello, L. Symp. zool. Soc. Lond. 48, 331–358 (1981).
Jungers, W. L. in Size and Scaling in Primate Biology (ed. Jungers, W.) 345–381 (Plenum, New YorK, 1985).
Jungers, W. L. Yb. phys. Anthrop. 27, 73–97 (1984).
Preuschoft, H. in Gravity, Posture and Locomotion in Primates (eds Jouffroy, F. K., Stack, M. H. & Niemitz, C.) 109–127 (II Sedicesimo, Firenze, 1990).
Jungers, W. L. in The Lesser Apes; Evolutionary and Behavioural Biology (eds Preuschoft, H., Brockelman, W. & Creel, N. 146–169 (Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1984).
Begun, D. R. Science 257, 1929–1933 (1992).
Begun, D. R. Yb. phys. Anthrop. 37, 11–63 (1994).
Pilbeam, D., Rose, M. D., Barry, J. C. & Ibrahim Shah, S. M. Nature 348, 237–239 (1990).
Pilbeam, D. & Simons, E. Nature 229, 408–409 (1971).
Kelley, J. & Pilbeam, D. in Comparative Primate Biology (eds Swindler. D. R. & Erwin, J.) 316–411 (Liss, New York, 1986).
Ruff, C. B., Walker, A. & Teaford, M. F. J. hum. Evol. 18, 515–536 (1989).
Ruff, C. B. in Body Size in Mammalian Paleobioiogy. Estimation and Biological Implications (eds Damuth, J. & MacFadden, J.) 119–149 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990).
McHenry, E. M. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 87, 407–431 (1992).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moyà-Solà, S., Köhler, M. A Dryopithecus skeleton and the origins of great-ape locomotion. Nature 379, 156–159 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/379156a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/379156a0
This article is cited by
-
A new Miocene ape and locomotion in the ancestor of great apes and humans
Nature (2019)
-
The evolution of human and ape hand proportions
Nature Communications (2015)
-
Late Miocene flying squirrels from Can Llobateres 1 (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia): systematics and palaeobiogeography
Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments (2015)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
