# Kenyapithecus

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Extinct genus of primates

This article is about Kenyapithecus wickeri. For Kenyapithecus africanus, see [Ekembo nyanzae](/source/Ekembo_nyanzae).

Kenyapithecus Temporal range: 14 Million years ago Kenyapithecus wickeri teeth Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Placentalia Order: Primates Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Genus: †Kenyapithecus Leakey, 1961[1] Species: †K. wickeri Binomial name †Kenyapithecus wickeri Leakey, 1961

***Kenyapithecus wickeri*** is a [fossil](/source/Fossil) [ape](/source/Ape) discovered by [Louis Leakey](/source/Louis_Leakey) in 1961 at a site called [Fort Ternan](/source/Fort_Ternan) in [Kenya](/source/Kenya). The [upper jaw](/source/Upper_jaw) and [teeth](/source/Teeth) were dated to 14 million years ago.[2] One theory states that *Kenyapithecus* may be the common ancestor of all the [great apes](/source/Great_ape). More recent investigations suggest *Kenyapithecus* is more primitive than that and is only slightly more modern than *[Proconsul](/source/Proconsul_(mammal))*, which is considered to be an ape.

Evidence suggests that *Kenyapithecus wickeri* was one of the species that started a radiation of apes out of [Africa](/source/Africa).

## Morphology

Impressed by *Kenyapithecus*'s modern-looking teeth, Leakey declared *Kenyapithecus* to be "a very early ancestor of man himself."[3]

*Kenyapithecus* possessed craniodental [adaptations](/source/Adaptation) for hard object feeding including thicker molar [enamel](/source/Tooth_enamel), and a large [mandible](/source/Mandible), large [premolars](/source/Premolars) and upper [incisors](/source/Incisors) that are similar to those seen in living [pitheciine](/source/Pitheciine) monkeys.[4] *Kenyapithecus* also possessed macaque-like [limbs](/source/Limb_(anatomy)) adapted for a [knuckle-walking](/source/Knuckle-walking) mode of semi-terrestrial [locomotion](/source/Animal_locomotion).[5] This could show that as [hominins](/source/Hominins) evolved, they passed through a knuckle-walking phase.

*Kenyapithecus wickeri* has very distinct features, especially details in the [canine teeth](/source/Canine_teeth) and is similar to modern apes.

## See also

- *[Chororapithecus](/source/Chororapithecus)*

- *[Dryopithecus](/source/Dryopithecus)*

- *[Nakalipithecus](/source/Nakalipithecus)*

- *[Pierolapithecus](/source/Pierolapithecus)*

- *[Samburupithecus](/source/Samburupithecus)*

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Ward, S.C. and Duren, D. L. (2002) "Middle and Late Miocene African Hominoids". In Hartwig, W.C. ed. The Primate Fossil Record. Cambridge University Press

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [L. S. B. Leakey](/source/Louis_Leakey): *A new Lower Pliocene fossil primate from Kenya.* In: *The Annals & Magazine of Natural History*, Vol. 4, Series 13, 1961, pp. 689–696

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Carl Zimmer](/source/Carl_Zimmer): "[Kenyan Skeleton Shakes Ape Family Tree](https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.285.5432.1335)". In: *Science*, August 27, 1999: Vol. 285. no. 5432, pp. 1335-1337

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Fleagle, J. G. (2013) [Primate Adaptation and Evolution](https://books.google.com/books?id=--PNXm0q2O8C&q=Kenyapithecus). Elsevier Academic Press

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** McCrossin ML, Benefit, BR Gitau, SN Palmer, AK Blue, KT. (1998) [Fossil evidence for the origins of terrestriality among Old World higher primates](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brenda_Benefit/publication/263235097_Fossil_evidence_for_the_origins_of_terrestriality_among_Old_World_monkeys_and_apes/links/55ef92fd08ae199d47c01c6c/Fossil-evidence-for-the-origins-of-terrestriality-among-Old-World-monkeys-and-apes.pdf). Primate locomotion: recent advances. New York: Plenum Press. p 353-396

v t e Haplorhini Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates Haplorhini †"Omomyidae" Altanius? Altiatlasius? Bownomomys Kohatius Microchoerinae Indusomys Melaneremia Microchoerus Nannopithex Necrolemur Paraloris Pseudoloris Quercyloris Vectipithex "Anaptomorphinae" Absarokius Anaptomorphus Anemorhysis Arapahovius Aycrossia Chlororhysis Gazinius Pseudotetonius Sphacorhysis Strigorhysis Tatmanius Teilhardina Tetonius Tetonoides Trogolemur Walshina "Omomyinae" Ageitodendron Asiomomys Brontomomys Chipetaia Chumashius Diablomomys Dyseolemur Ekwiiyemakius Gunnelltarsius Hemiacodon Jemezius Loveina Macrotarsius Nesomomys Omomys Ourayia Rooneyia Shoshonius Steinius Stockia Uintanius Utahia Washakius Wyomomys Yaquius Tarkadectinae Tarka Tarkadectes Tarkops Tarsiiformes †Archicebus †Afrotarsiidae? †"Omomyidae"? Tarsiidae Carlito Cephalopachus †Hesperotarsius †Oligotarsius Tarsius †Xanthorhysis? Simiiformes see below↓ Simiiformes Simiiformes †Altiatlasius? †Amamria †Aseanpithecus †Nosmips? †Phileosimias? †Afrotarsiidae? Afrasia Afrotarsius †Eosimiidae Bahinia Eosimias Phenacopithecus †Amphipithecidae Amphipithecus Bugtipithecus? Ganlea Krabia Myanmarpithecus Pondaungia Siamopithecus †Parapithecoidea Arsinoea Biretia Proteopithecidae Proteopithecus Serapia Parapithecidae Abuqatrania Apidium Parapithecus Qatrania Ucayalipithecus Platyrrhini †Parvimico †Perupithecus †Szalatavus †Canaanimico †Branisella †Lagonimico Aotidae Aotus †Tremacebus Pitheciidae †Antillothrix Cacajao Callicebus †Carlocebus †Cebupithecia Cheracebus Chiropotes †Homunculus †Insulacebus †Mazzonicebus †Miocallicebus †Nuciruptor Pithecia Plecturocebus †Proteropithecia †Soriacebus †Xenothrix Atelidae Alouatta Ateles Brachyteles †Caipora †Cartelles †Chilecebus Lagothrix †Mohanamico Oreonax †Paralouatta †Protopithecus †Solimoea †Stirtonia Cebidae †Acrecebus Cebus †Dolichocebus †Killikaike †Panamacebus †Patasola Saimiri Sapajus Callitrichidae Callimico Callithrix Cebuella Leontocebus Leontopithecus Mico †Micodon Saguinus Catarrhini see below↓ Catarrhini Catarrhini †Micropithecus †Saadanius †Oligopithecidae Catopithecus Oligopithecus Talahpithecus †Propliopithecidae Aegyptopithecus Propliopithecus †Pliopithecoidea Krishnapithecus Paidopithex †Kapi Pliopithecidae Epipliopithecus Pliopithecus Dionysopithecidae Dionysopithecus Platodontopithecus Crouzeliidae Anapithecus Barberapithecus Crouzelia Egarapithecus Fanchangia Laccopithecus Plesiopliopithecus Pliobates Cercopithecoidea †Alophe †Victoriapithecidae Noropithecus Nsungwepithecus? Prohylobates? Victoriapithecus Zaltanpithecus Colobinae †Cercopithecoides Colobus †Dolichopithecus †Kuseracolobus †Libypithecus †Mesopithecus †Microcolobus Nasalis †Paracolobus †Parapresbytis Piliocolobus Presbytis Procolobus Pygathrix †Rhinocolobus Rhinopithecus †Sawecolobus Semnopithecus Simias Trachypithecus Cercopithecinae Cercopithecini Allenopithecus Allochrocebus Cercopithecus Chlorocebus Erythrocebus Miopithecus †Nanopithecus Papionini Cercocebus †Dinopithecus †Gorgopithecus Lophocebus Macaca Mandrillus Papio †Paradolichopithecus †Parapapio †Pliopapio †Procercocebus †Procynocephalus Rungwecebus †Soromandrillus Theropithecus Hominoidea see below↓ Hominoidea Hominoidea †Afropithecus †Ekembo †Equatorius †Griphopithecus †Kamoyapithecus? †Kenyapithecus †Masripithecus †Morotopithecus †Nacholapithecus †Otavipithecus †Proconsul †Samburupithecus †Dendropithecidae Dendropithecus Micropithecus? Nyanzapithecus Oreopithecus? Rangwapithecus Rukwapithecus Simiolus Turkanapithecus Hylobatidae †Bunopithecus Hoolock Hylobates Nomascus Symphalangus †Yuanmoupithecus Hominidae †Buronius †Graecopithecus †Nakalipithecus †Ouranopithecus Ponginae †Ankarapithecus †Gigantopithecus †Indopithecus †Khoratpithecus †Lufengpithecus †Meganthropus Pongo †Sivapithecus Homininae †Dryopithecini Anoiapithecus Danuvius Dryopithecus Hispanopithecus? Pierolapithecus? Rudapithecus Gorillini †Chororapithecus? Gorilla †Nakalipithecus? Hominini Pan Hominina †Ardipithecus? †Australopithecus †Graecopithecus? Homo †Kenyanthropus †Orrorin? †Sahelanthropus? †Paranthropus

Taxon identifiers Kenyapithecus Wikidata: Q133165 Wikispecies: Kenyapithecus EoL: 4454569 GBIF: 4827692 IRMNG: 1065420 Open Tree of Life: 3607703 Paleobiology Database: 100574 Kenyapithecus wickeri Wikidata: Q14505128 GBIF: 4974708 Open Tree of Life: 3607702 Paleobiology Database: 133716

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kenyapithecus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenyapithecus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenyapithecus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.