Rudapithecus

Rudapithecus is a chimpanzee-like^[2] genus of ape which inhabited Europe during the Late Miocene, around 10 million years ago. One species is known, Rudapithecus hungaricus.^[3][4] The genus name "Rudapithecus" comes from where it was discovered, in Rudabánya, Northern Hungary in 1965 and sent to Budapest in 1967.^[2] The specific name "hungaricus" refers to the country where it was discovered, in Hungary.

Rudapithecus Temporal range: 10 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Haplorhini
Infraorder:	Simiiformes
Family:	Hominidae
Subfamily:	Homininae
Tribe:	†Dryopithecini
Genus:	†Rudapithecus Kretzoi, 1969
Species:	†R. hungaricus
Binomial name
†Rudapithecus hungaricus Kretzoi, 1969[1]

Rudapithecus probably moved among branches like modern apes do now, holding its body upright, and climbing trees with its arms. Rudapithecus hungaricus differed from modern great apes by having a more flexible lumbar, which indicates when Rudapithecus came down to the ground, it might have had the ability to stand upright like humans do. Modern Gorilla, Pan, and Pongo have a long pelvis, and a short lumbar because they are very large animals, which is why they usually walk on all fours. Humans have a longer, more flexible lumbar, which allow humans to stand upright, and walk efficiently on two legs. It is known that Rudapithecus had a more flexible torso than today's apes, because it was much smaller, about the size of a medium-sized dog.^[5]