Samburupithecus

Samburupithecus is a fossil primate genus dating from the Middle to Late Miocene Epoch (approximately 16.6 to 5.3 million years ago). Fossils of Samburupithecus have been found in northern Kenya. For a period, Samburupithecus, along with Ramapithecus, was considered a potential early ancestor of humans. However, later research, including molecular clock data and new fossil discoveries, suggested that the divergence between apes and human ancestors occurred much later, between 6 and 8 million years ago. Current understanding suggests that Samburupithecus is closely related to Sivapithecus, a genus now thought to be ancestral to the orangutan.1234