RAMAPITHECUS

Ramapithecus, fossil primate dating from the

Middle and Late Miocene epochs (about 16.6
million to 5.3 million years ago). For a time in
the 1960s and ’70s, Ramapithecus was
thought to be a distinct genus that was the
first direct ancestor of modern humans (Homo
sapiens) before it became regarded as that of
the orangutan ancestor Sivapithecus.
It was discovered and christened as Rama’s
ape by Edward Lewis In the year 1934. The
specimen was later analyzed by Simons in
the year 1964. Simons gave the name
Ramapithecus punjabicus to this find, which
was a long time thought to be the highest
evolved form in the Hominid evolution,
belonging to the ape group of Dryopithecus.
The fossils of Ramapithecus (Primarily teeth
and jaw) come from two areas: the Siwalik
Hills in India and Fort Ternan in Kenya. Other
specimens have been discovered from
Turkey, Hungary and Greece. The Ramapithecus fossils roughly date back to periods
between 14 and 9 million years ago. The Ecological setting of Fort Ternan and the Siwalik
Hill fossils is that of a forest woodland environment. The Greek fossils, being younger, are
that of a drier, savanna like environment.
The hominid features of Ramapithecus include reduced and vertically implanted incisors,
and canines, little or no diastema, flattened and thick enamelled premolars and molars that
appear to be adapted for heavy chewing and processing of heavy food stuffs. Moreover, the
placements of chewing muscles indicated an increased chewing pressure brought to bear
on the food being eaten. These features, sufficiently different from the earlier Miocene
fossils, indicate Ramapithecus direction to hominid line – perhaps the first hominid.
Ramapithecus specimens very strongly suggest the exploitation of a new dietary source –
most likely seeds, nuts and grasses – that indicate a shift from the softer forest fruits and
vegetables relied upon by apes. This dietary shift is rather clearly associated with the
climatic changes in the later part of Miocene that led to an increase in open grasslands and
the decrease in the forest habitat of apes. There is a greater probability that this hominid
form apparently was moving into a new ecological niche; it was beginning to exploit a more
open ground environment similar to that inhabited by later hominids. Ramapithecus is also
the most likely candidate for the ancestry of later hominids because of its presence in an
area where the next hominids – the Australopithecus – have been found.
The possible adaptation that Ramapithecus made to open – ground living include an
increased degree of hand and finger preparation of food, perhaps more frequent use of
tools in such preparation, a tendency towards upright posture and bipedal locomotion for
movement with a wide field of vision through the tall grasses on the open plain, possibly
longer periods of growth and development, and perhaps, even a more frequent inclusion of
meat in the diet. None of these adaptations can be clearly demonstrated because of lack of
fossil evidences, but what we do know is that these adaptations were clearly present by the
time the next phase of hominid evolution – the australopithecus – had began. It is highly
likely that Ramapithecus had begun to evolve and acquire those hominid features that led to
the evolution of Australopithecus.
Significant Anatomical Characteristics of Ramapithecus
 Facial profile of Ramapithecus is
orthognathus that the profile is the
face nearly vertical with straight jawed
with the front of the head or skull is
perpendicular in consequence of the
shortness of the jaws.
 Ramapithecus has nearly vertical
placement of incisors and canines
opposite to apes which has teeth in
slight procumbent position.
 Generally apes have projected
canines with large spaces in between
whereas ramapithecus canines are
not projected and they posses very narrow spaces.
 It has canine fossa or depression encountered in fossils Ramapithecus
kenyapithecus.
 The gap between two teeth is usually referred as diastema and it is evident in apes
whereas in Ramapithecus, little or no diastema was found.
 The size of the front teeth that is incisors and the canines to that of the cheek teeth
that is premolars and molars is nearly the same which is an indication of human
characteristics.
 The premolars and the molars due to the changed in food habits and because of
adaptation from soft food to heavy chewing and grinding of hard food stuff led
becomes flattening and deposited with thick enamel.
 The molars posses the Y-5 cusp pattern
as in Dryopithecus.
 The size of the third molar is reduced as
compare to the first and second molar.
 Tooth rows are slightly divergent and
have been identified as parabolic or
slightly V-shape by some scholars.
 Maxilla reduced in size which indicates a
placement of the chewing muscles which
actually increases the chewing pressures
required to bear or chew the foods being
eaten.
 Inside the lower jaw of Ramapithecus
shelf –like ridges are present.
 There is a presence of large inferior torus
on mandible ramapithecus posses
rounded dental arcade.
 Like humans, the palate of the
Ramapithecus is arched.