Richard Leakey and Meave Leakey first described
Afropithecus turkanensis to be a large hominoid which appeared to have relatively thick enamel. Leakey suggested that
A. turkanensis shared postcranial features with the species
Proconsul nyanzae, which is the best-known Miocene genus with literally hundreds of fossils having been found representing almost all
skeletal elements, and sharing cranial features with
Aegyptopithecus zeuxis and
Heliopithecus which had two weathered
molars that indicated a general distinction from known large early
catarrhines, and later concluded that
A. turkanenensis was a primitive, arboreal
quadruped similar to
P. nyanzae, and that
A. turkanensis had primitive facial morphology and derived dental characteristics that would suggest a diet of hard fruits. Leakey also synonymised
Heliopithecus with
Afropithecus.
Cranial morphology The type specimen, KNM-WT 16999 is composed of a long distinct
snout, the facial skeleton,
frontal, much of the
coronal structure, most of the
sphenoid, and relatively unworn
adult dentition; the right orbit (virtually complete), the right
zygomatic, the
pterygoid, most of the sphenoid and lesser wings, the
maxilla and
premaxilla, and adult dentition with procumbent
incisors. The surface on the right side maxilla and premaxilla along with the
enamel on the right molars has been lost over time and has been replaced with calcite crystals, which only provide the general shape and not the details. The thickness of the enamel on the molars is often reported when fossils are being recorded and used to make comparisons across taxa. The thickness is referred to either as "thin" or "thick" and is commonly assessed as a linear measurement of the enamel on worn or naturally fractured teeth. From enamel testing it has been suggested that
A. turkanensis is the oldest-known thick-enamelled hominoid, which is what would distinguish it from
Kenyapithecus.
Post-cranial morphology Post cranial remains such as KNM-WK 16901, includes an associated right fibula (lacking the proximal portion, and is approximately the same size as
Pan troglodytes; 184 mm), a right proximal third
metatarsal, a right fourth metatarsal lacking the head, and an incomplete first metatarsal head. Other post-cranial remains include: KNM-WK 17016P a large right
ulna, and foot or hand bones: KNM-WK 17008, KNM-WK 18395. ==Feeding==