Potential hominin affinities of Graecopithecus from the Late Miocene of Europe

L’étude : ▻http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177127

The split of our own clade from the Panini is undocumented in the fossil record. To fill this gap we investigated the dentognathic morphology of Graecopithecus freybergi from Pyrgos Vassilissis (Greece) and cf. Graecopithecus sp. from Azmaka (Bulgaria), using new μCT and 3D reconstructions of the two known specimens. Pyrgos Vassilissis and Azmaka are currently dated to the early Messinian at 7.175 Ma and 7.24 Ma. Mainly based on its external preservation and the previously vague dating, Graecopithecus is often referred to as nomen dubium. The examination of its previously unknown dental root and pulp canal morphology confirms the taxonomic distinction from the significantly older northern Greek hominine Ouranopithecus. Furthermore, it shows features that point to a possible phylogenetic affinity with hominins. G. freybergi uniquely shares p4 partial root fusion and a possible canine root reduction with this tribe and therefore, provides intriguing evidence of what could be the oldest known hominin.

Ouf, on va enfin pouvoir les discriminer à raison : « L’Europe, berceau de notre civilisation et de l’humanité toute entière ».

Oui c’est ce que je me suis dit :(

Ou alors, ils peuvent se dire qu’"on" a été les premiers migrants et ils vont ouvrir leurs bras ?

Ouais, enfin, la conclusion de l’article est quand même moins… conclusive :

Therefore, we submit that the dental root attributes of Graecopithecus suggest hominin affinities, such that its hominin status cannot be excluded. If this status is confirmed by additional fossil evidence, Graecopithecus would be the oldest known hominin and the oldest known crown hominine, as the evidence for the gorillin status of Chororapithecus is much weaker than the hominin status of Graecopithecus. More fossils are needed but at this point it seems likely that the Eastern Mediterranean needs to be considered as just as likely a place of hominine diversification and hominin origins as tropical Africa.

Si c’est confirmé (UN exemplaire d’un bout de mandibule), on pourrait considérer la Méditerranée orientale comme une alternative possible à l’Afrique pour la diversification des homininés.