This archive report was first published on 12 July 2019.
Kenya's rich paleontological history has yielded another significant discovery, with the finding of fossils from the smallest monkey species, Nanopithecus browni, in the Turkana region. The fossils, estimated to be around 4.2 million years old, were unearthed at the Kanapoi archaeological site.
According to Dr. Manthi, a leading expert in the field, the discovery of Nanopithecus browni reaffirms Kenya's crucial role in understanding the evolution and diversity of Pliocene fauna and their environmental contexts.
The newly discovered species is named after the late Prof. Francis H. Brown, a renowned scholar who made significant contributions to the understanding of the geological history of the Omo-Turkana Basin.
Measuring approximately one kilogram, Nanopithecus browni is the smallest among modern Talapoin monkeys, primarily found in West Africa. The discovery has shed light on the evolution of guenons, a group of monkeys commonly found in Africa, which is believed to be driven by changes in forest habitats.
Speaking about the significance of the discovery, the National Museums of Kenya stated that it provides valuable insights into the evolution of primates and the environmental conditions in which they lived.
The fossil is currently housed at the National Museums of Kenya and was published in the Journal of Human Evolution.
The discovery was made by the West Turkana Paleo Project, led by Dr. Fredrick Kyalo Manthi, in collaboration with Drs. Carol V. Ward and J. Michael Plavcan.
