A second hominoid species in the early Late Miocene fauna of Nakali (Kenya)

Abstract

Nakali is an early Late Miocene fossil locality in north-central Kenya, where the Kenya–Japan Joint Expedition team has carried out fieldwork since 2002. Previously, a large hominoid Nakalipithecus nakayamai was reported from site NA39 of this locality. In addition to Nakalipithecus, the hominoid material collected from Nakali includes an isolated P³, which shows a considerably different morphology from the P³ assigned to Nakalipithecus, suggesting the presence of a different hominoid species. The general morphology of this P³ is reminiscent of that of primitive hominoids such as Proconsul, which are mainly known from the Early Miocene of East Africa. Although the present material is limited, the presence of a primitive-looking second hominoid species in Nakali indicates a higher hominoid (and hominoid-like catarrhine) diversity in the early Late Miocene of Africa than previously envisaged.