New forelimb long bone specimens of Nacholapithecus kerioi from the Middle Miocene of northern Kenya

Abstract

This article reports eight new humeral, ulnar, and radial fragments of Nacholapithecus kerioi collected from Nachola, Kenya during the 1998/1999 field seasons. The study refines the description of its forelimb bones, which was mostly based on a single partial skeleton. The most distinctive feature of the distal humerus is a large, globular, medially tilted capitulum. The groove between the capitulum and the zona conoidea is quite deep. The medial part of the humeral trochlea is also diagnostic in showing a less salient medial border. The medial epicondyle is moderately long and more posteriorly reflected than was previously presumed. The coronoid process of the ulna is quite wide. Its medial portion is distinctly concave. The ulnar shaft is anteroposteriorly deep in its proximal half, slender, straight in frontal view, and weakly anteriorly bowing. The elbow of Nacholapithecus exhibits a primitive functional pat-tern as a hominoid, including lack of universal stability of the humeroulnar joint through full extension and flexion, restriction of hyperextension of the elbow, and relatively anteroposteriorly oriented loading at the proximal ulna. On the other hand, it is derived in terms of enhanced rotational mobility and stability of the radius, incipiently increased stability at the humeroulnar joint, and more frequent maximum extension of the elbow compared to proconsulids. This mosaic morphology is different from both early Miocene proconsulids and later suspensory or orthograde European fossil apes. Although Nacholapithecus was neither suspensory nor orthograde, its forelimbs may have played a greater role for body support or balance maintenance, more frequently reaching to and exploiting overhead supports than in early Miocene proconsulids.