Proconsul mammal

Proconsul was an extinct genus of primates that lived during the Miocene epoch (21 to 17 million years ago) in Eastern Africa, specifically in Kenya and Uganda. It belongs to the family Proconsulidae and is considered ancestral to both gibbons and great apes, including humans. The genus name "Proconsul" means "before Consul," referring to a famous chimpanzee at the London Zoo when the genus was first discovered.

Four species have been identified: P. africanus, P. gitongai, P. major, and P. meswae. These species differ primarily in body size. Proconsul exhibits a mix of Old World monkey and ape characteristics. Its monkey-like features include pronograde posture and flexible back, while its ape-like traits include the absence of a tail and enhanced grasping abilities.

The first specimen, a partial jaw, was found in 1909 by a gold prospector in Kenya. It was named Proconsul africanus by Arthur Hopwood in 1933. The genus has faced significant classification changes over time, with some species being reclassified into other genera, such as Ekembo. Despite this complexity, Proconsul remains a key link in the evolutionary history of apes and humans.