PlosOne article:
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177127
Abstract
The split of our own clade from the Panini is undocumented in the fossil record. To fill this gap we investigated the dentognathic morphology of Graecopithecus freybergi from Pyrgos Vassilissis (Greece) and cf. Graecopithecus sp. from Azmaka (Bulgaria), using new μCT and 3D reconstructions of the two known specimens. Pyrgos Vassilissis and Azmaka are currently dated to the early Messinian at 7.175 Ma and 7.24 Ma. Mainly based on its external preservation and the previously vague dating, Graecopithecus is often referred to as nomen dubium. The examination of its previously unknown dental root and pulp canal morphology confirms the taxonomic distinction from the significantly older northern Greek hominine Ouranopithecus. Furthermore, it shows features that point to a possible phylogenetic affinity with hominins. G. freybergi uniquely shares p4 partial root fusion and a possible canine root reduction with this tribe and therefore, provides intriguing evidence of what could be the oldest known hominin....
In this study, we propose based on root morphology a new possible candidate for the hominin clade, Graecopithecus freybergi from Europe. Graecopithecus is known from a single mandible from Pyrgos Vassilissis Amalia (Athens, Greece) [38] and possibly from an isolated upper fourth premolar (P4) from Azmaka in Bulgaria [39] (Fig 1A and 1B). A new age model for the localities Pyrgos Vassilissis and Azmaka, as well as the investigations on the fauna of these localities [40] confirms that European hominids thrived in the early Messinian (Late Miocene, 7.25–6 Ma) and therefore existed in Europe ~ 1.5 Ma later than previously thought [39]. This, and recent discoveries from Çorakyerler (Turkey), and Maragheh (Iran) demonstrate the persistence of Miocene hominids into the Turolian (~8 Ma) in Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, and Western Asia [41, 42].
Newsweek article:
http://www.newsweek.com/first-hominin-europe-east-africa-human-evolution-613494
It isn't really questioning the hypothesis about Homo sapiens---ancestor of all modern humans---which is well grounded, both archaeologically and genetically.
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ReplyDeleteThe title is a bit misleading. There's no claim isn't the '*first* human ancestor' - which would be hard to define but would presumably be some single celled organism from the sea. There's no definite claim that this clade split occurred in Europe, though that is where these are being found - but even if they did, it isn't claiming to challenge the fact that all modern humans descend from later Homo species in Africa, and our own species evolved there.
ReplyDeleteRather the article just further investigates specimens which give more insight into our last ancestors to split from Panina, the subtribe that includes chimpanzees and bonobos.