A Middle Miocene hominoid from Thailand and orangutan origins

Yaowalak Chaimanee, Dominique Jolly, Mouloud Benammi, Paul Tafforeau, Danielle Duzer, Issam Moussa and Jean-Jacques Jaeger ()
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Yaowalak Chaimanee: Paleontology Section, Geological Survey Division, Department of Mineral Resources
Dominique Jolly: Palynologie et Paléoenvironnements, I.S.E.M.
Mouloud Benammi: Paleomagnetismo, Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Paul Tafforeau: Paléontologie, I.S.E.M., cc 064, Université Montpellier II
Danielle Duzer: Palynologie et Paléoenvironnements, I.S.E.M.
Issam Moussa: Paléontologie, I.S.E.M., cc 064, Université Montpellier II
Jean-Jacques Jaeger: Paléontologie, I.S.E.M., cc 064, Université Montpellier II

Nature, 2003, vol. 422, issue 6927, 61-65

Abstract: Abstract The origin of orangutans has long been debated. Sivapithecus is considered to be the closest ancestor of orangutans because of its facial–palatal similarities1, but its dental characteristics2 and postcranial skeleton2,3 do not confirm this phylogenetic position. Here we report a new Middle Miocene hominoid, cf. Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis n. sp. from northern Thailand. Its dental morphology relates it to the Pongo clade, which includes Lufengpithecus4,5, Sivapithecus2, Gigantopithecus6, Ankarapithecus7 and possibly Griphopithecus8. Our new species displays striking dental resemblances with living orangutans and appears as a more likely candidate to represent an ancestor of this ape. In addition, it originates from the geographic area of Pleistocene orangutans. But surprisingly, the associated flora shows strong African affinities, demonstrating the existence of a temporary floral and faunal dispersal corridor between southeast Asia and Africa during the Middle Miocene, which may have played a critical role in hominoid dispersion.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature01449

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