Ganlea fossil map
Where fossils of Ganlea have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 45 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 41.03–37.71 million years ago (Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Amphipithecidae |
| Named by | Beard et al. 2009 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Myanmar |
| Rock formations | Pondaung |
About Ganlea
Ganlea is a fossil primate from central Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Its age is about 38 million years, living during the late Eocene epoch. Ganlea belongs to the group of anthropoids (i. e. humans, apes and monkeys), and is in the family Amphipithecidae. It is older than any other known anthropoid from Africa, and is the second oldest known from Asia. Its remains consist of teeth and jawbones belonging to 10 to 15 individuals found near the city of Bagan in the central part of the country.
The teeth of Ganlea have many diagnostic features that help to show its relations with other anthropoids. It is thought to be closely related to the genera Myanmarpithecus, Pondaungia and Siamopithecus, both found from the same area as Ganlea. In all of these genera, the canine tooth is enlarged and compressed anteroposteriorly, making it quite wide. A great deal of tooth wear has been observed in Ganlea, which has been viewed as an adaptation for consuming nuts and seeds, similar to the modern Saki monkey. The large size of the canine tooth in Ganlea gives it the specific name "megacanina".
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ganlea (revision 1355315109), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q144030.
