Groundbreaking discoveries in Egypt suggest that the earliest apes, including the ancestors of humans, may have originated in North Africa, not East Africa as previously believed. A new species of ape, Masripithecus moghraensis, dating back 17 million years, presents the strongest evidence yet for a shift in understanding primate evolution.
The Discovery at Wadi Moghra
In 2023 and 2024, paleontologists working at the Wadi Moghra archaeological site in northern Egypt unearthed fossilized teeth and jawbones. These remains, dated between 17 and 18 million years old, came from two distinct individuals. One specimen included a partial mandible (jawbone) with two molar teeth, while the other was a separate fragment of a mandible lacking tooth crowns.
Why This Matters
For decades, East Africa has been considered the primary cradle of ape evolution. This new discovery challenges that consensus, suggesting a more complex and geographically diverse picture. The early ape lineage wasn’t confined to one region; it spanned across North Africa as well. The location of the fossils is significant because it suggests that apes may have migrated from North Africa to East Africa, instead of originating there.
Key Features of Masripithecus moghraensis
The M. moghraensis fossils exhibit unique characteristics that place them firmly within the hominoid lineage (the group including all apes). According to lead researcher Shorouq Al-Ashqar, the shape of the mandible’s symphysis (where the two halves join) closely resembles that of later apes. The molars are also telling: they are low, rounded, and heavily ridged, indicating a flexible diet.
“The molars are very telling — they are low, rounded and heavily crenulated [ridged],” says Al-Ashqar. “Also, the second and third molars are nearly equal in size.”
Diet and Size
M. moghraensis is estimated to have weighed around 25 kilograms, larger than contemporary monkeys. Its robust jaw and complex molars suggest it consumed a diverse diet, including fruits, nuts, and seeds. However, the absence of limb bones prevents researchers from determining whether it primarily lived in trees or on the ground. The size of the specimens’ canines suggests both individuals were male, about the size of a small female chimpanzee.
Implications for Understanding Ape Evolution
This discovery forces paleontologists to re-evaluate existing theories about ape origins. Erik Seiffert, a team member from the University of Southern California, notes, “For decades, palaeontologists have been, to some extent, sort of stuck finding the same kinds of species in the early Miocene of East Africa. Now we know that the story was different in northern Africa.”
The North African fossils offer a new perspective on ape evolution, suggesting that the story of our ancestors is more complex than previously understood. Future research, particularly the discovery of limb bones, will be crucial for confirming whether M. moghraensis was a fully terrestrial or arboreal ape, and its role in the broader hominoid lineage.
