New Saudi Fossils: Saadanius Hijazensis………
“The rust-coloured plateau above Mecca in Saudi Arabia may soon attract pilgrims of palaeontology. The hills, which overlook the Red Sea, have disgorged the 29–28-million-year-old partial skull fossil of an early primate that possesses features both of apes and monkeys. The skull could help palaeontologists to answer questions about the life of primates in a period that until now has provided few fossils…… The primate, dubbed Saadanius hijazensis, shares characteristics with Propliopithecoidea, an ancestor of apes and monkeys which existed more than 30 million years ago, as well as with more recent primates found to have lived from 23 million years ago. Saadanius lacks the advanced sinuses of the modern apes and monkeys that are collectively called catarrhines, but has a bony ear tube that was not yet fully developed in the Propliopithecoidea……..Zalmout is confident that preservation of the site by Saudi officials…….”
Saadanius Hijazensis: Saadan is one of the Arabic words for simian (ape/monkey). Hijaz is the name of the region where Mecca is located.
Sounds interesting and promising, but the Saudi officials should keep the religious zealots away from the area. Anything that smacks of “evolution” and tends to raise certain “questions” can be willfully destroyed by these fanatics. They have in the past destroyed many precious historic Islamic sites. Just remember the Taliban and Bamiyan.
They should especially keep the zealots of the Commission for the Propagation of Vice away.
Cheers
mhg
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