Danuvius & Buronius

Since 2011, the University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment carry out scientific excavations under the direction of Prof Dr Madelaine Böhme in the clay pit “Hammerschmiede” (hammer mill). These also take place as citizen excavations as part of a citizen science project since 2017 and are financially supported by the Free State of Bavaria since 2020. Around 40 000 fossils of 150 vertebrate species were recovered, including both species of great ape as well as further species of mammal new to science. In addition to the bipedal ape Danuvius guggenmosi (called “Udo”), a second, previously unknown species of ape was discovered here. The finds were amined by an international team of scientists and shed new light on the prehistory of great apes in Europe. Buronius manfredschmidi was recovered in the immediate vicinity of Danuvius guggenmosi. The latter was the first ape to show adaptations to walk upright, around 12 million years ago, and made the excavation site between Pforzen and Kaufbeuren world-famous in 2019. Its contemporary Buronius was smaller than Udo, probably lived on trees and had a vegetarian diet. Its find shows s higher and more complex biodiversity and ecology of European apes than previously known.

The fossils of Buronius – two teeth and a knee cap – were already discovered years agoin a 11,6 million year old stream sediment, near the finds of Danuvius. “The conditions of deposition suggest that both apes did inhabit the same eco system at the same time”, says Thomas Lechner, excavation leader at Hammerschmiede.

The size of the fossils show that Buronius only weighed about 10 kilograms. As such, it was notably smaller than all living apes which reach between 30 (bonobo) and over 200 kilograms (gorilla) as well as smaller than Danuvius which weighed 15 to 46 kilograms. The body weight of Buronius is most comparable to that of siamangs, gibbon relatives from Southeast Asia. 

“Buronius' knee cap is thicker and more asymetrical than that of Danuvius", adds Böhme. This could be explained with differences in the thigh muscles. Buronius might have been better adapted to tree climbing.

Press release (german)

Vernissage June 10th, 2024 at 6pm
 Palaeontological Collection
 Sigwartstraße 10 | 72076 Tübingen | Therapsida Hall

Guided tours

special guided tours by Prof Dr Madelaine Böhme

(starting point Palaeontological Collection | Therapsida Hall; no registration necessary)

• Sunday, July 14th, 2 pm
• Sunday, September 15th, 2 pm