HOPE report

Number:20-019

Morphological Study on the hominoid fossils from the Miocene of East Africa

Report:KUNIMATSU, Yutaka

Date:2009/01/10 - 2009/01/25

The main purpose of my present visit was to examine the Miocene hominoid fossils, which were discovered in East Africa (especially Kenya) before 1960s and have been kept in the Department of Palaeontology in the Natural History Museum, London. These specimens include the type specimens of Proconsul africanus, P. nyanzae and Ugandapithecus major from Kenya. It was also possible to study the type and other specimens of Heliopithecus leakeyi from the Arabian Peninsula, which was once a part of the African continent. I made observations and took measurements and photographs of these fossils. In addition, I observed original specimens and casts of the large hominoid fossils (Griphopithecus alpani & Kenyapithecus kizili) from Pasalar, a Middle Miocene fossil locality in Turkey, and collected necessary data for comparison with the Middle to Late Miocene hominoids from Kenya. Moreover, in the Natural History Museum, I had opportunities to study some Old World Monkey fossils from Europe and South Asia.

Front view of the illuminated main building of the Natural History Museum.


This wooden box contains hominoid fossils stored in the Department of Palaeontology of the Natural History Museum.
 Some of these specimens are holotypes and are especially important.


Repository of the Department of Palaeontology keeps numerous and various fossils 
that have been collected through many years from all over the world.

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