French-Cameroonian Paleoanthropological Mission (MPFC)
The high plateaus of western Cameroon:
the line of Mount Cameroon in the Region of Bafoussam-Dschang-Foumban-Nkambé
Looking for until now unknown fossils of African apes
Principal investigator
- Michel BRUNET (Collège de France, PALEVOPRIM)
- Joseph HELL (IRGM)
Research question
The MPFC surveys fossiliferous levels dated to the last 20 million years in western Cameroon. The goal is to discover fossil hominoids (apes) that may be part of the stem group of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.
Some results
The MPFC found volcanoclastic deposits that contain macroremains of a wet tropical vegetation Radiochronologically dated to the early Miocene. These Miocene reconstructed environments correspond to usual hominoid habitats.
Mission Organization
The MPFC is led at PALEVOPRIM and at the Collège de France through a joint program with the Institute for Geological and Mining Research (IRGM) of Yaoundé, Cameroun.
Funding
The MPFC is notably supported by PALEVOPRIM, the IRGM and fundings obtained from the private sector.
Iconic publications
Benammi M., Hell J.V., Bessong M., Nolla D., Solé J. and Brunet M. (2017). Preliminary Magnetostratigraphic and Isotopic Dating of the Ngwa Formation (Dschang Western Cameroon). J Geol Geophys 2017, 6:2. doi: 10.4172/2381-8719.1000282
Bessong M., Hell J. V., Feist Burkhardt S., Samankassou E., Bennami M., Nolla J. D., Mbesse C. O., Adatte T., Martini R., Brunet M., 2017. First palynostratigraphical evidence for a Late Eocene to Early Miocene age of the volcano-sedimentary series of Dschang, western part of Cameroon and its implications for the interpretation of palaeoenvironment. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 485, 517-530.