Lluc
-
What is a fossil hominid?
A hominin is any member of the zoological "tribe" Hominini, of which only one species exists today—Homo sapiens, or human beings. The term is used most often to refer to extinct members of the human lineage. Some characteristics that have distinguished hominins from other primates are their erect posture, bipedal locomotion, larger brains, and behavioral characteristics such as specialized tool use and, in some cases, communication through language.
Lluc, or Anoiapithecus brevirostris, is a fossil hominid dating to the middle of the Miocene Epoch (roughly 11.9 million years ago). The specimen differs from other Miocene forms of the superfamily Hominoidea in having a nearly flat and relatively orthognathic face.
5 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Who or what is Lluc in the study of fossil hominids?
In the study of fossil hominids, Lluc, also known as Anoiapithecus brevirostris, is the nickname given to the nearly complete upper and lower jaws and much of the associated facial region of an adult male hominid. The fossil was discovered in 2004 at the Abocador de Can Mata site in Catalonia, Spain. Dating back to the middle of the Miocene Epoch (approximately 11.9 million years ago), Lluc is the only known specimen of Anoiapithecus brevirostris. Its name, meaning "the one who illuminates" in Latin, was chosen because of the specimen's unique characteristics.
Lluc's nearly flat and vertically oriented face distinguishes it from other Miocene hominoids, setting it apart from the forward-projecting faces of most other living and fossil apes. While it shares this facial similarity with living and fossil members of the genus Homo (humans), scientists believe this resemblance is due to convergent evolution.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where and when was the Lluc fossil discovered?
The fossil hominid known as Lluc, or Anoiapithecus brevirostris, was discovered in 2004 at the Abocador de Can Mata site in Catalonia, Spain. The discovery occurred during a salvage operation aimed at rescuing fossil specimens threatened by construction activities. Anoiapithecus brevirostris dates back to the middle of the Miocene Epoch, approximately 11.9 million years ago. The name Lluc means "the one who illuminates" in Latin.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What species does Lluc belong to?
Lluc, also known as Anoiapithecus brevirostris, is a hominid species dating back to the middle Miocene Epoch, around 11.9 million years ago. The only known specimen of this species is a nearly complete set of upper and lower jaws, along with much of the associated facial region, discovered in 2004 at the Abocador de Can Mata site in Catalonia, Spain. The name Lluc, meaning "the one who illuminates" in Latin, was given to the specimen, which was found during a salvage operation aimed at preserving fossil specimens and data threatened by construction activities.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What features make the Lluc fossil important to scientists?
The Lluc fossil, also known as Anoiapithecus brevirostris, is significant because it is the only known specimen of its species, dating back to the middle Miocene Epoch, roughly 11.9 million years ago. The nearly complete upper and lower jaws and much of the associated facial region of an adult male hominid were found in 2004 at the Abocador de Can Mata site in Catalonia, Spain. Lluc's nearly flat and vertically oriented face differs from other Miocene hominoids, which typically have forward-projecting faces. While Lluc shares this facial feature with Homo (humans), it is considered a result of convergent evolution, as earlier members of the human lineage, such as Australopithecus, did not have a similar vertical face.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How does the Lluc fossil help us understand human evolution?
The fossil hominid Lluc, or Anoiapithecus brevirostris, is the only known specimen of its species, dating to the Miocene Epoch around 11.9 million years ago. Lluc's nearly flat and vertically oriented face differs from other Miocene hominoids, which typically have forward-projecting faces. While Lluc resembles the genus Homo in this aspect, it's considered convergent evolution because earlier human ancestors like Australopithecus lacked a similar vertical face. Australopithecus appeared in East Africa approximately 4.4 million years ago and had a combination of human-like and ape-like traits.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Lluc, (Anoiapithecus brevirostris), nickname for the nearly complete upper and lower jaws and much of the associated facial region of an adult male hominid found in 2004 at the Abocador de Can Mata site in Catalonia, Spain. Lluc is the only known specimen of Anoiapithecus brevirostris, a species that dates to the middle of the Miocene Epoch (roughly 11.9 million years ago). It was recovered during a salvage operation designed to rescue fossil specimens and associated data threatened by impending construction activities. In Latin the name Lluc means “the one who illuminates.”
Lluc differs from other Miocene forms of the superfamily Hominoidea in having a nearly flat and relatively orthognathic (vertically oriented) face that contrasts markedly with the more prognathic (forward-projecting) face of most other living and fossil apes. The specimen resembles living and fossil members of the genus Homo (humans) in this regard, but this similarity is thought to be the result of convergent evolution, because fossil members of the human lineage (such as Australopithecus) lack a similarly vertical face.
Structural characteristics of the genus
Anoiapithecus, so far characterized by a single species, displays a unique combination of anatomical features that are considered to be both primitive and derived with respect to earlier hominoid primates. Its primitive characteristics primarily relate to detailed aspects of dental morphology, including its relatively low-crowned teeth. Those features resemble conditions that are found in much older African hominoids, such as Proconsul, a genus from the early Miocene. Other traits found in Anoiapithecus ally it with younger and more-advanced hominoids, including the group containing living great apes and humans (classified as the family Hominidae). For example, the molars of Anoiapithecus are covered by a thick layer of enamel, and its lower jaw is robust. The deep, short face of Anoiapithecus frames a pear-shaped opening for the nasal aperture, which is characteristic of modern great apes and humans. The maxillary sinus of Anoiapithecus appears to be reduced, probably as a result of its relatively deep facial proportions.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Evolutionary relationships
Reconstructing the evolutionary relationships of Miocene apes has proven to be difficult for at least two reasons. First, the diversity of Miocene apes was much greater than that which characterizes the group today. Second, these Miocene apes show a baffling pattern of characters, indicating that parallel and convergent evolution occurred commonly within the group. Anoiapithecus has been interpreted as being a basal member of the Hominidae. According to this view, Anoiapithecus occupies a branch of the evolutionary tree intermediate between modern great apes and humans on the one hand and a diverse group of (mainly African) fossil apes on the other.
Some scientists have argued that the discovery of Anoiapithecus and related fossil apes in Eurasia indicates that the common ancestor of living great apes and humans evolved somewhere on that landmass, rather than in Africa as others have suggested. According to this hypothesis, the common ancestor of living African apes and humans would have returned to Africa sometime later in the Miocene, while the ancestor of living orangutans remained in Eurasia. Other scientists dispute this hypothesis, pointing to the relatively poor quality of the African fossil record during the middle and late Miocene.