Ape ancestors' teeth provide glimpse into their diets and environments: Helped apes move to Eurasia, may have led to extinction
Thursday, May 22, 2014 - 19:21
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Newly analyzed tooth samples from the great apes of the Miocene indicate that the same dietary specialization that allowed the apes to move from Africa to Eurasia may have led to their extinction. Apes expanded into Eurasia from Africa during the Miocene (14 to 7 million years ago) and evolved to survive in new habitat. Their diet closely relates to the environment in which they live and each type of diet wears the teeth differently.