Pierolapithecus

Pierolapithecus is an extinct genus of great ape that lived in what is now northeastern Spain approximately 13 million years ago during the Miocene epoch. The type species, Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, is known from fossil remains discovered in the Barranc de Can Vila site in Hostalets de Pierola. These fossils include a partial skeleton consisting of teeth, a jawbone, vertebrae, ribs, limb bones, and a nearly complete skull.

The discovery of Pierolapithecus has been significant in understanding the evolutionary history of hominoids, the group that includes humans and their extinct ancestors, as well as modern apes. Its skeletal features suggest it was a tree-dwelling ape that possessed characteristics that are considered ancestral to later hominoids. For instance, its relatively upright posture and certain features of its limbs suggest it was capable of suspensory locomotion, similar to modern orangutans. However, its wrist anatomy also indicates a greater ability to support its body weight on its palms, a trait seen in gorillas and chimpanzees.

The teeth of Pierolapithecus are relatively large and have thick enamel, which is indicative of a diet that included tough vegetation, such as leaves and fruits. The cranial features, particularly the shape of the face and the presence of a sagittal crest in males, provide further clues about its morphology and potential social behavior.

Pierolapithecus is considered a potential stem hominoid, meaning it might be a close relative of the last common ancestor of all modern apes and humans. Its existence helps to fill in gaps in the fossil record and provides evidence for the early diversification of apes in Eurasia. The precise phylogenetic position of Pierolapithecus is still debated among paleontologists, with some suggesting it is a direct ancestor of the orangutan lineage, while others place it closer to the common ancestor of African apes and humans.