Dryopithecus fontani
Encyclopedia
Dryopithecus fontani is an extinct ape
that was first discovered in Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France, in the 19th century, and was dated to the middle Miocene
.
were relatively narrow and less spatulate compared to other genera such as Proconsul. The upper molars of this species had a partly developed lingual
cingulum
. Dryopithecus fontani had relatively long upper premolars and relatively broad lower premolars. The lower molars had the Y5 pattern, which is also called the Dryopithecus pattern. The cheek had a thin layer of enamel on them and there were low, rounded cusps
. This species had gracile canines and a short premaxilla. The mandible
of Dryopithecus fontani had an inferior transverse torus
but lacked a superior transverse torus. The forelimbs of this species had a reduced olecranon
process, a deep humeral trochlea
, and the loss of the entepicondylar foramen. Dryopithecus fontani had an average body mass of around 35.0 kilograms.
.
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
that was first discovered in Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France, in the 19th century, and was dated to the middle Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
.
Morphology
Dryopithecus fontani had a dental formula of 2:1:2:3 on both the upper and lower jaw. The incisors of this speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
were relatively narrow and less spatulate compared to other genera such as Proconsul. The upper molars of this species had a partly developed lingual
Lingual
Lingual may refer to:* Rap Crew, LINGUAL, an underground widespread hip-hop group from Berlin, Germany. The Group was founded in 2010 with their former member Freddy K. Their music is based on oldschool features with mixtures of Rap, Funk and Jazz and consists of 4 members, Sam-Which, Kurt...
cingulum
Cingulum (tooth)
In dentistry, cingulum refers to an anatomical feature of the anterior teeth . It refers to the portion of the teeth, occurring on the lingual or palatal aspects, that forms a convex protuberance at the cervical third of the anatomic crown. It represents the lingual or palatal developmental lobe...
. Dryopithecus fontani had relatively long upper premolars and relatively broad lower premolars. The lower molars had the Y5 pattern, which is also called the Dryopithecus pattern. The cheek had a thin layer of enamel on them and there were low, rounded cusps
Cusp (dentistry)
A cusp is an occlusal or incisal eminence on a tooth.Canine teeth, otherwise known as cuspids, each possess a single cusp, while premolars, otherwise known as bicuspids, possess two each. Molars normally possess either four or five cusps...
. This species had gracile canines and a short premaxilla. The mandible
Mandible
The mandible pronunciation or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place...
of Dryopithecus fontani had an inferior transverse torus
Torus mandibularis
Torus mandibularis is a bony growth in the mandible along the surface nearest to the tongue. Mandibular tori are usually present near the premolars and above the location of the mylohyoid muscle's attachment to the mandible...
but lacked a superior transverse torus. The forelimbs of this species had a reduced olecranon
Olecranon
The olecranon is a large, thick, curved bony eminence of the forearm that projects behind the elbow.It is situated at the upper end of the ulna, one of the two bones in the forearm...
process, a deep humeral trochlea
Trochlea of humerus
The medial portion of the articular surface of the humerus is named the trochlea, and presents a deep depression between two well-marked borders; it is convex from before backward, concave from side to side, and occupies the anterior, lower, and posterior parts of the extremity...
, and the loss of the entepicondylar foramen. Dryopithecus fontani had an average body mass of around 35.0 kilograms.
Range
Dryopithecus fontani has been found through the continent of Europe, in locations such as Spain and Hungary.Diet
Based upon dental morphology Dryopithecus fontani was a frugivorous speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.