Proconsul africanus (Hopwood 1933a, b; 18-14 mya) was preceded by Macaca and succeeded by Ardipithecus and Pan.

To account for substantial morphological variation in the genus Proconsul, two species, P. nyanzae and P. heseloni, were placed in the new genus Ekembo.

Proconsul (aka Dryopithecus) looked, and probably acted, very much like a chimpanzee. It had a flatter face, a larger size and probably a shorter, stiffer lower back. Proconsul lacked a tail. The skull was round and smooth on top, like a monkey's skull.

The hands were similar to those of a human. They had not yet evolved into the long-fingered, short-thumbed hooks of living apes. So rather than walking on its knuckles, Proconsul likely continued to walk on its palms.

A new form of locomotion was invented at this time, brachiation. Hanging by the hands from overhead branches was enabled by looser arm joints. Apes can brachiate below branches that are far too thin to walk upon, typically in order to reach fruit that would otherwise be too far out of reach. Brachiators have a wide chest, not a deep one. A smaller spinal ridge makes it more comfortable for apes to sit against tree trunks and in chairs.