An extinct genus of great ape, Danuvius, lived approximately 11.6 million years ago during the Miocene epoch. Its fossilized remains, discovered in Southern Germany, have provided significant new insights into the evolution of locomotion in primates. This ancient ape challenges long-held assumptions about how our earliest ancestors moved and where the origins of upright walking might lie. The findings from Danuvius are reshaping our understanding of the complex evolutionary path of both humans and great apes.
The Discovery and Fossil Evidence
The remarkable fossils of Danuvius guggenmosi were unearthed between 2015 and 2018 at the Hammerschmiede clay pit in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Germany. This site, located near the municipality of Pforzen, is renowned for its rich Miocene-era fauna. The discovery is particularly significant because it includes remains from at least four individuals, notably a partial skeleton of a male.
The Hammerschmiede clay pit yielded complete limb bones, vertebrae, and jaw fragments, which are rare for ancient ape fossils. These remains were crucial for reconstructing how this ancient primate moved. Their completeness allowed analysis of joints and skeletal structure, detailing its unique posture and movement.
A New Form of Locomotion
Danuvius guggenmosi exhibited a unique movement style, termed “extended limb clambering.” This hybrid form of movement involved using ape-like long arms for hanging from branches while simultaneously employing human-like straight legs to walk on them. The anatomical evidence is substantial, highlighting adaptations for both suspension and bipedalism.
The leg bones and joints of Danuvius were robust and adapted for bearing weight. Its knee and ankle joints, along with an S-shaped spine, allowed upright posture. In contrast to the knuckle-walking of modern African apes, Danuvius possessed hands and feet suited for grasping, including a strong, opposable big toe. This allowed it to securely grasp small supports while moving through trees.
This combination suggests Danuvius used both forelimbs and hindlimbs equally for movement. The ability to walk with extended hips and knees, alongside flexible elbows and strong hands for grasping, indicates a versatile arboreal locomotion. This unique adaptation allowed Danuvius to navigate its environment in a way unseen in living primates.
Reimagining the Primate Family Tree
The unique anatomy and locomotion of Danuvius have implications for understanding the evolutionary history of primates, particularly the origins of human bipedalism. These findings challenge the hypothesis that the last common ancestor of humans and great apes was a knuckle-walker. The discovery suggests a different ancestral form, one already capable of some upright movement in the trees.
The alternative theory proposes that human bipedalism may have evolved from an ancestor already moving upright in an arboreal environment, rather than one that first descended to the ground. Danuvius guggenmosi, with its combination of bipedal and suspensory adaptations, offers a model for this common ancestor. Its skeletal features, such as the broad thorax and long lumbar spine, align with adaptations seen in both bipeds and suspensory apes.
The existence of Danuvius suggests that upright walking could have originated in the trees more than 11 million years ago, earlier than previously thought. This European ape might represent a lineage that diverged before the ancestors of modern African apes became specialized knuckle-walkers. The discovery reshapes the narrative of bipedalism’s origins, indicating a complex and ancient arboreal phase.
The World of Danuvius
During the Miocene epoch, Southern Europe was a warm, flat, subtropical landscape. This environment featured meandering rivers and diverse forests. The climate was seasonal, with deciduous trees.
Tooth analysis suggests Danuvius likely had an omnivorous diet. Its teeth were robust, with notched and blunt cusps, indicating it consumed tougher foods. This diet would have included hard items such as nuts, tough-skinned fruits, and potentially mollusks, roots, or even small animals. This dietary versatility, combined with its unique locomotion, allowed Danuvius to thrive in its ancient European woodland habitat.