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In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
| Turkanapithecus Temporal range:
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| Skull of Turkanapithecus kalakolensis at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Superfamily: | Hominoidea |
| Family: | †Dendropithecidae |
| Subfamily: | †Nyanzapithecinae |
| Genus: | †Turkanapithecus Leakey & Leakey, 1986 |
| Type species | |
| †Turkanapithecus kalakolensis | |
| Species | |
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Turkanapithecus is an extinct genus of hominoid primates from the Early Miocene of northern Kenya. The genus is known from the Lothidok Formation in the Turkana Basin, particularly the Kalodirr and Moruorot site complexes. It has two species, †Turkanapithecus kalakolensis and †Turkanapithecus rusingensis.[1][2][3]
Turkanapithecus was a medium-sized early Miocene hominoid. The type specimen preserves a partial cranium and mandible, while associated postcranial elements were probably associated with the same individual. Two additional specimens were also described in the study of the species' morphology.[4]
The original description recognized Turkanapithecus as distinct from previously reported genera of Miocene hominoids. Its relationship to other known hominoids was considered unclear at the time of its description.[5]
Additional fossil material described by Rossie and Cote in 2022 included a new mandible and an isolated lower molar of T. kalakolensis from the Kalodirr Site Complex. The specimens further clarified the lower molar morphology of the species and allowed the identification of KNM-MO 1 as a mandible of T. kalakolensis.[2]
The cranium of Turkanapithecus kalakolensis had a short and low face with a distinct, domed snout. The nasal aperture was broad and ovoid, while the orbits were subcircular and separated by a broad interorbital region. The anterior root of the zygomatic arch was positioned relatively low, near the level of the alveolar margin.[6]
Turkanapithecus was described by Richard E. Leakey and Meave G. Leakey in 1986 from the Early Miocene of northern Kenya. The original description established T. kalakolensis as a new genus and species of medium-sized ape, but its relationships to other Miocene hominoids were considered uncertain.[5]
A second species, T. rusingensis, was subsequently described by Pickford et al. in 2010. Later assessments included the species within Turkanapithecus alongside T. kalakolensis and recognized material from several Early Miocene localities in Kenya and Uganda.[3]
Later work has identified Turkanapithecus as a member of the nyanzapithecines. Rossie and Cote found in 2022 that the additional lower molar material strengthened the identification of T. kalakolensis as a nyanzapithecine.[2]
The higher-level phylogeny of Miocene apes remains subject to discussion because of the sparse fossil record, homoplasy, and incomplete preservation.[7]
†Turkanapithecus kalakolensis is the species on which the genus Turkanapithecus is based. It was described by Richard E. Leakey and Meave G. Leakey in 1986 from the Early Miocene of northern Kenya.[5]
The type specimen preserves a partial cranium and mandible, with additional postcranial elements probably associated with it. Two additional specimens were included in the morphological study published by Leakey, Leakey, and Walker in 1988.[4]
Additional material assigned to T. kalakolensis was described by Rossie and Cote in 2022. Their study included a new mandible and an isolated lower third molar from Kalodirr and reassigned KNM-MO 1 as a mandible of the species.[2]
†Turkanapithecus rusingensis was established as a second species of Turkanapithecus by Pickford et al. in 2010. The species is represented by several fragmentary specimens from the Early Miocene of East Africa, with material recorded from Rusinga and Mfwangano, Songhor, Napak, and Kipsaraman.[3]
The present hypodigm is therefore geographically broader than that of T. kalakolensis, which was originally reported from Kalodirr in northern Kenya. Its occurrence at several Early Miocene localities provides evidence that Turkanapithecus had a wider distribution in East Africa than was indicated by the original material of T. kalakolensis.[3]
Turkanapithecus has an estimated body mass of approximately 10 kg. It has been interpreted as an arboreal quadruped, with locomotor behaviour generally similar to that of Proconsul but with greater specialization for climbing.[8]
Turkanapithecus is generally classified among the nyanzapithecines, a group characterized by distinctive cheek teeth that have been interpreted as adaptations for folivory. This suggests that leaves may have formed an important part of the diet of T. kalakolensis, although the precise dietary composition of the species is uncertain.[8]
Turkanapithecus is known from the Kalodirr and Moruorot Site Complexes of the Lothidok Formation. At Moruorot, Turkanapithecus and other Early Miocene apes were preserved in humid alluvial fan complexes. Paleovegetation proxies indicate that C3 plants were present in a forested ecosystem, with estimated mean annual precipitation of 1700–1900 mm and strongly seasonal rainfall.[9]
Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
Turkanapithecus is an extinct genus of hominoid primates from the Early Miocene of northern Kenya. The genus is known from the Lothidok Formation in the Turkana Basin, particularly the Kalodirr and Moruorot site complexes. It has two species, †Turkanapithecus kalakolensis and †Turkanapithecus rusingensis.
The Nyanzapithecinae or Nyanzapithecines are a subfamily of extinct Dendropithecidae as sister of Simiolus. The group contains Rangwapithecus, Turkanapithecus, Rukwapithecus, Oreopithecus, and Nyanzapithecus. In the following tree the internal structure of Nyanzapithecinae of Nengo et al. is followed. Nyanzapithecinae Harrison, 2002 Nyanzapithecus Harrison, 1986 Nyanzapithecus harrisoni Kunimatsu, 1997 Nyanzapithecus pickfordi Harrison, 1986 Nyanzapithecus vancouveringorum Andrews, 1974 Mabokopithecus von Koenigswald, 1969 Mabokopithecus clarki von Koenigswald, 1969 Rangwapithecus Andrews, 1974 Rangwapithecus gordoni Andrews, 1974 Turkanapithecus Leakey & Leakey, 1986 Turkanapithecus kalakolensis Leakey & Leakey, 1986 Nengo et al. suggest: "Nyanzapithecines were a long-lived and diverse group of Miocene hominoids that are probably close to the origin of crown hominoids."
Gibbons () are apes in the family Hylobatidae (; hylobatids). The family historically contained one genus, but now is split into four extant genera and 20 species. Gibbons live in subtropical and tropical forests from eastern Bangladesh and Northeast India to Southeast Asia and Indonesia (including the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java). Also called the lesser apes, gibbons differ from the great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans) in being smaller, exhibiting low sexual dimorphism, and not making nests. Like all of the apes, gibbons are tailless. Unlike most of the great apes, gibbons frequently form long-term pair bonds. Their primary mode of locomotion, brachiation, involves swinging from branch to branch for distances up to 15 m (50 ft), at speeds as fast as 55 km/h (34 mph). They can also make leaps up to 8 m (26 ft), and walk bipedally with their arms raised for balance. They are the fastest of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. Depending on the species and sex, gibbons' fur coloration varies from dark- to light-brown shades, and any shade between black and white, though a completely "white" gibbon is rare.
Apes, collectively Hominoidea (; hominoids), are a superfamily of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. They were more widespread in Africa, Asia, and Europe in prehistory, and, including humans, are found globally. Apes are more closely related to Old World monkeys (family Cercopithecidae) than to the New World monkeys (Platyrrhini), with both Old World monkeys and apes placed in the clade Catarrhini. Apes do not have tails due to a mutation of the TBXT gene. In traditional and non-scientific use, the term ape can include tailless primates taxonomically considered Cercopithecidae (such as the Barbary ape and black ape), and is thus not equivalent to the scientific taxon Hominoidea. There are two extant branches of the superfamily Hominoidea: the gibbons, or lesser apes; and the hominids, or great apes. The family Hylobatidae, the lesser apes, include four genera and a total of 20 species of gibbon, including the lar gibbon and the siamang, all native to Asia. They are highly arboreal and bipedal on the ground. They have lighter bodies and smaller social groups than great apes. The family Hominidae (hominids), the great apes, includes four genera comprising three extant species of orangutans, two extant species of gorillas, two extant species of chimpanzees, and humans. Except for gorillas and humans, hominoids are agile climbers of trees. Apes eat a variety of plants and animals. Plants, which can include fruits, leaves, stalks, roots, nuts, and seeds, make up the bulk of their diet. Human diets are sometimes substantially different from that of other hominoids, due in part to the development of technology and a wide range of habitation. All extant non-human hominoids are rare and threatened with extinction. The main threat is habitat loss, though some populations are further imperiled by hunting. The great apes of Africa are also facing threat from the Ebola virus.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.