Nakalipithecus nakayamai facts for kids

Nakalipithecus nakayamai is an ancient ape species known only from its fossils. Scientists found its remains, including a 10-million-year-old jawbone and teeth, in a volcanic mud deposit. This important discovery happened in Nakali, Kenya, a country in Africa.

Scientists believe Nakalipithecus nakayamai lived about 9.9 to 9.8 million years ago. Finding these fossils helps us understand the early history of apes, including humans.

Discovering Nakalipithecus

The first fossils of Nakalipithecus nakayamai were found in 2007. A team of researchers discovered a lower jawbone with several teeth. This jawbone was very old, dating back about 10 million years. The discovery site was in Nakali, Kenya, which is in East Africa.

The fossils were preserved in hardened volcanic mud. This type of mud can protect bones for millions of years. Scientists also found eleven more teeth in the same area. They think these teeth belonged to the same type of ape.

What Nakalipithecus Tells Us

Nakalipithecus nakayamai is a very important fossil. It helps scientists learn about how apes evolved. This ancient ape lived during the late Miocene epoch. This was a time when many different ape species lived in Africa.

The jawbone and teeth of Nakalipithecus show features similar to both modern apes and early human ancestors. This suggests it might be closely related to the common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans. It helps fill a gap in the fossil record.

Where It Lived

The area where Nakalipithecus was found, Nakali, Kenya, is part of the Great Rift Valley. This region is famous for its many fossil discoveries. In the past, this area had forests and woodlands. These environments were perfect for apes to live in.

The volcanic mud where the fossils were found suggests there was volcanic activity nearby. This activity helped to bury and preserve the remains of Nakalipithecus. This allowed them to become fossils over millions of years.

See also

• Fossil
• Ape
• Miocene