Dryopithecus is an extinct genus of hominin, which probably existed about 22.5 to 5 million years ago, during the Middle and Upper Miocene and also part of the Pliocene. It spread across parts of Europe, Asia (Eurasia), and East Africa. Its origin is presumed to be African.
The differentiation of this species with respect to others of its genus is based exclusively on the dentition. Remains of a skull found in Hungary and its reconstruction gave indications of new morphological data, which are considered hypothetical by the scientific community, as they are reconstruction and not complete structures.
Dryopithecus crusafonti
This is a relatively newly described species, compared to those previously mentioned. In 1992 D. Begun published his findings of a new species of hominid from the Western Valleys of Catalonia, Spain.
This new species was dedicated to the Catalan paleontologist Miquel Crusafont. The scientific community is divided regarding the validity of this species, because some consider that D. crusafonti is a synonym of Hispanopithecus laietanus, a species previously called Dryopithecus laietanus.
References
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- CA Marmelada (2007). Remote origins of the human race (III): Hominoids of the Upper Miocene. Recovered from servicios.educarm.es.
- Dryopithecus fontani. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
- S. Moyà-Solà & M. Köhler (1996). A Dryopithecus skeleton and the origins of great-ape locomotion. Nature.
- Dryopithecus. Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.
- Dryopithecus. Recovered from anthropology.iresearchnet.com.
- L. Kordos & D. Begun (2001). A new cranium of Dryopithecus from Rudabanya, Hungary. Journal of Human Evolution.
- D. Begun (1992). Dryopithecus crusafonti sp. nov., a new Miocene hominoid species from Can Ponsic (northeastern Spain). American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
- Dryopithecus wuduensis. Recovered from es.wikipedia.org
- D. Begun & L. Kordos (1997). A new reconstruction of RUD 77, a partial cranium of Dryopithecus brancoi from Rudabánya, Hungary. American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
- Dryopithecus crusafonti. Recovered from es.wikipedia.org.