NIRMAL YESODA
A team of researchers at the University of Arizona has discovered an ape fossil from India, and scientists believe that it could be the oldest known ancestor of gibbon, which we see in the modern world. Scientists believe that this new discovery could reshape the understanding of primate evolution, as it will help to know when gibbons started migrating from Africa to Asia.
According to the study report published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the discovery was made in Ramnagar, India. Scientists revealed that these fossils belong to a new ape species named Kapi ramnagarensis. Researchers who took part in this study revealed that these fossilized remains are more than 13-million-years old.
The discovery of this new ape fossil happened when Gilbert and his team were climbing a hill. During the climbing, Gilbert saw something shining in the surface, and it was actually the molar of the ape.
“From the shape and size of the molar, our initial guess was that it might be from a gibbon ancestor, but that seemed too good to be true, given that the fossil record of lesser apes is virtually nonexistent. There are other primate species known during that time, and no gibbon fossils have previously been found anywhere near Ramnagar,” said Gilbert.
Even though this event happened long back in 2015, it took several years for the scientists to conclude that these remains belong to a new ape species. Scientists have also successfully determined this ape’s position in the ape family tree, and it is expected to fill the gap in the journey of evolution.
“Even if, for now, we only have one tooth, and thus, we need to be cautious, this is a unique discovery. It pushes back the oldest known fossil record of gibbons by at least five million years, providing a much-needed glimpse into the early stages of their evolutionary history,” said Alejandra Ortiz, a researcher who took part in this study.
