Samburupithecus kiptalami
• Ishida and Pickford, 1997
• KNM-SH 8531, Partial left maxilla and portion of palatine and premaxilla, with canine alveolus and complete P3 – M3
• 9.5 MYA
• Samburu Hills, Kenya
Identified solely by the holotype, Samburupithecus kiptalami exhibits dental features seen in the African apes. The palate contains a noticeable arch, shallow postcanine fossa, and thickly enameled molars with a size sequence of M1 < M2 < M3 (Hartwig). According to Stanford, “The maxillary molars of Samburupithecus are similar to gorillas suggesting that it could be a member of the clade that diversified before the LCA of gorillas, chimps, and humans.”