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Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
Published on: January 7, 2019
Fossil apes and human evolution.
Sergio Almécija1,2,3, Ashley S Hammond4,2, Nathan E Thompson5
1Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), New York, NY 10024, USA. salmecija@amnh.org.
Human origins trace back to Africa, diverging from ape ancestors ~9.3 to 6.5 million years ago. Early hominins likely differed significantly from modern apes and humans.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Primate Evolution
- Human Origins
Background:
- Humans and modern apes (hominoids) share features like upright posture, but fossil evidence suggests ancient diversity.
- Living hominoids represent a limited sample of a once more diverse group of species.
- Understanding the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor is key to reconstructing early hominin evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct the morphology, behavior, and environment of the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor.
- To investigate the evolutionary divergence of the human lineage (hominins).
- To understand the origins of hominins from Miocene ape ancestors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the fossil record of hominoids.
- Comparative morphology of extant and extinct hominoids.
- Reconstruction of ancestral states and environments.
Main Results:
- The fossil record reveals a greater diversity of ancient hominoids than currently exists.
- No single ancient species possessed all locomotor adaptations seen in modern apes.
- Some shared features between modern apes may have evolved independently due to similar selective pressures.
Conclusions:
- Hominins originated in Africa from Miocene ape ancestors that were unlike any living ape species.
- The evolution of hominoids involved parallel adaptations and a wider range of ancestral forms.
- Reconstructing the last common ancestor is crucial for understanding human lineage origins.

