An article published in the “Journal of Human Evolution” reports the study of a partial pelvis of Rudapithecus hungaricus, a hominid that lived about ten million years ago, in the Miocene period, in today’s Hungary related to both modern African apes and human beings. A team of researchers led by Carol Ward of the University of Missouri analyzed that fossil bone concluding that human bipedal posture has more ancient origins than previously thought.

During the Miocene period, in Eurasia there were various species of apes grouped in the dryopithecines (Dryopithecini) taxonomic tribe. The discoveries of fossils, typically incomplete, over the decades led to various modifications within this tribe and the existence of the genus Rudapithecus has also been the subject of various discussions. The species Rudapithecus hungaricus was identified in 1969, after the first fossils were discovered in 1966 in the area of ​​Rudabánya, in today’s Hungary. There are scientists who believed that this species is too similar to Dryopithecus brancoi to be a separate genus. The authors of the article published in “Journal of Human Evolution” recognize the species Rudapithecus hungaricus.

A pelvis can provide a lot of interesting information but rarely is preserved therefore the discovery of one of them is really valuable for paleontologists, who are used to having to examine incomplete skeletons if not just a few isolated and perhaps even fragmented bones. The partial pelvis that was the subject of this study (photo courtesy of Carol Ward et. al. All rights reserved) was discovered by David Begun, a professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, who worked on other bones and teeth. His analyzes offered evidence that Rudapithecus hungaricus was a relative of today’s African apes and human beings part of the hominid group, a surprising conclusion for a species that lived in Europe.

The researchers compared the pelvis and in general the lower back of Rudapithecus hungaricus, modern African apes and modern humans. This comparison shows a series of differences between the various species and some similarities between those of Rudapithecus hungaricus and humans. This suggests that the bipedal posture evolved from species more similar to Rudapithecus hungaricus because modern African apes have a long pelvis and a short lower back and typically walk on all fours when they’re on the ground while humans have a shorter pelvis and a longer and more flexible lower back, more suited to their bipedal posture.

Carol Ward stated that the next step in the research will consist in conducting a 3D analysis of other fossil parts of Rudapithecus hungaricus to get a more complete idea of ​​how it moved. It’s a research that is part of the broader one concerning the evolution of human beings, in this case in particular their bipedal posture, and the timeline of their diversification from apes.