New hominoid facial skeleton from the Early Miocene of Rusinga Island, Kenya, and its bearing on the relationship between Proconsul nyanzae and Proconsul africanus

Abstract

Recent paleontological fieldwork has led to the discovery of a plate and partial face of a young adult male Proconsul on Rusinga Island, Kenya. Morphologically, it is most similar to Proconsul nyanzae. However, it is intermediate in size between Proconsul nyanzae and Proconsul africanus. Since the distinction between these two species, not to mention the relationship between Proconsul from Rusinga and other sites, is not as clear as it once was, this specimen will undoubtedly add further fuel to the fire of discussions and debates concerning early Miocene hominoid taxonomy. In particular, it shows that we have relied far too heavily on limited samples of cranio-dental material in making our taxonomic assignments and distinctions.