A recently identified fossil ape from Egypt, named Masripithecus moghraensis, suggests a significant role for North Africa in the evolutionary history of apes, challenging longstanding theories about their origins.
An international team of researchers has identified a previously unknown species of fossil ape that lived approximately 17 to 18 million years ago during the Early Miocene epoch. This species, designated as Masripithecus moghraensis, was detailed in a study published in the journal Science by scientists from the Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center in Egypt and the University of Southern California in the United States.
The fossils were unearthed at Wadi Moghra, located in northern Egypt, marking the first definitive evidence of an ape from North Africa. The discovery not only broadens the known geographical distribution of early apes but also suggests that Egypt and the wider Middle East region played a crucial role in the evolutionary developments leading to modern apes.
A Missing Piece in North Africa
Hesham Sallam, a paleontologist at Mansoura University and the senior author of the study, emphasized the importance of this discovery, stating, “We spent five years searching for this kind of fossil because, when we look closely at the early ape family tree, it becomes clear that something is missing — and North Africa holds that missing piece.” Prior to this finding, fossil sites from the Early Miocene in North Africa had yielded only monkey remains, leading many researchers to conclude that apes and their close relatives were largely confined to southern regions of Africa during this period.
Younger ape fossils have been found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, but the relationships among these species and their ancestral origins remain subjects of ongoing scientific debate. The new evidence presented by Masripithecus moghraensis indicates that the gaps in the fossil record may have distorted the understanding of the evolutionary history of crown Hominoidea, the group that includes all living apes, such as gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans, as well as their last common ancestor.
A Distinct Ape From Ancient Egypt
The Masripithecus fossil demonstrates that apes were already present in North Africa during the Early Miocene. Notably, it shows significant differences from other ape species of a similar age found in East Africa. The name Masripithecus combines the Arabic word for Egypt, “Masr” (مصر), with the Greek word for ape, “píthēkos.” The species name, moghraensis, references Wadi Moghra, the site where the fossils were recovered during fieldwork conducted in 2023 and 2024.
While only a partial lower jaw has been discovered, it exhibits a combination of traits not previously documented in any other ape from the same period. The fossil features unusually large canine and premolar teeth, molars with rounded and highly textured chewing surfaces, and a robust jaw structure.
Shorouq Al-Ashqar, a researcher at the Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center and the first author of the study, noted, “Together, they suggest that Masripithecus was adapted for versatility. The study interprets its chewing anatomy as evidence of a flexible, mainly fruit-based diet, with the ability to process harder foods such as nuts or seeds when needed. This flexibility would have helped Masripithecus to thrive at a time when climatic changes were leading to more pronounced seasonality in northern Africa and Arabia.”
New Clues From the Ape Family Tree
The significance of Masripithecus extends beyond its unique dental characteristics; it also appears to occupy a pivotal position in the evolutionary history of apes. Utilizing advanced Bayesian methods, the researchers combined various forms of evidence, including anatomical traits from both living and extinct apes, DNA from extant species, and geological ages of known fossils. This comprehensive analysis allowed them to estimate the relationships among different ape groups and the timeline of their evolutionary divergences.
According to their findings, Masripithecus is more closely related to living apes than any Early Miocene species currently documented from East Africa. This suggests a possible reevaluation of the geographic origins of modern apes.
Ape Origins May Point North
In addition, the research team conducted biogeographic analyses to identify the most likely habitat of the common ancestor of all living apes. Their results indicate that this ancestor probably resided in northern Africa and the Middle East during the Early Miocene. At that time, this region was strategically important as the African and Arabian tectonic plates were drifting northward, culminating in their collision with Asia. Fluctuations in sea levels would have occasionally removed marine barriers, creating temporary land routes that facilitated animal movement between these regions.
The presence of Masripithecus thus helps bridge the previously disconnected fossil records of Africa and Eurasia, suggesting that apes were already diversifying in this area prior to land connections enabling their spread into Europe and Asia.
A Long-Held Theory Faces a Challenge
Erik Seiffert, a paleontologist at the University of Southern California and a co-author of the study, stated that the findings have compelled him to reconsider established theories of early ape evolution. “For my entire career, I considered it probable that the common ancestor of all living apes lived in or around East Africa. But this new discovery, and our new and novel analyses of hominoid phylogeny and biogeography, now strongly challenge that idea. And, importantly, the likelihood of this scenario doesn’t depend on Masripithecus — but it is very much consistent with it.”
The researchers anticipate that continued fieldwork in North Africa and the Middle East will uncover additional fossils that could further clarify the origins and diversification of modern apes. The discovery of Masripithecus moghraensis underscores the potential for significant discoveries still to be made in regions that paleontologists have yet to explore thoroughly.
