The australopithecines

Australopithecus anamensis

Found:

September 1994

Where:

Kanapoi and Allia Bay, Kenya

Team leaders:

Meave Leaky, Alan Walker

Temporal Range:

4.1 to 3.9 million years ago

• Their name means “southern ape of the lake”• Teeth and jaws strongly resemble those of older fossil apes. • Relative large, broad premolars and molars with relatively thick

tooth enamel• May at times have eaten hard, abrasive foods, but they likely

were plant-eaters in general, relying on both fruits and tough foods such as nuts.

• Bipedal – Tibia• Single wrist bone• Human-like limbs• Reconstructed as forested habitats near streams

Australopithecus afarensis

Found:

November 1974

Where:

Hadar, Ethiopia and other sites in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania

Team leaders:

Donald C. Johanson

Temporal Range:

3.9 to 2.9 million years ago

• Prognathic face and a relatively small brain• Jaw muscles are quite large• Strong sexual dimorphism similar to that found of Au.

Anamensis• Face and cranium was ape-like• Teeth is intermediate between ape and human• Bipedal but incorporated climbing• Used stone tools

Australopithecus africanus

Found:

October 1924

Where:

Taung, South Africa

Team leader:

Raymond Dart

Temporal Range:

3.0 to 2.0 million years ago

• Foramen magnum had a forward positioning• Broad, short pelvis and valgus knee - bipedal• Curved phalanges (finger bones) – stayed in trees• Larger brain than Au. afarensis• Large posterior teeth, smaller anterior teeth• Less prognathic face• Had anterior or nasal pillars – adaptation to chewing

hard food• Woodland and open woodland savannas

Australopithecus Garhi

Found:

November 1997

Where:

Bouri, Ethiopia

Team leaders:

Berhane Asfaw, Tim White

Temporal Range:

2.5 million years ago

• “Garhi” means “surprise” in Afar language• Gracile skeletal system – no strong chewing characteristics• Different dentition – adapting to chew tougher, harder food• Postcranial remains show more human-like limb proportions• Forearm to upper arm proportions were more ape-like• Longer femur – bipedal; like H. sapiens• Prognathic face, canines are larger than its molars• Presence of a sagittal crest• Larger posterior teeth than Au. afarensis• May be oldest hominin to make stone tools• Edge of a lake surrounded by grasslands

Paranthropus aethiopicus

KNM-WT-17000

Nickname: Black Skull

Site: West of Lake Turkana in Kenya

Date of discovery: 1985

Discovered by: Alan Waker and Richard Leakey

Believed to exist during: 2.7 to 2.3 million years ago

• Aethiopicus – “from Ethiopia” • “Black Skull” (KNM-WT-17000) became black because of the mineral

absorption over the years. Found in 1985• Omo 18 – Southern Ethiopia, 1967. French expedition led by Camille

Arambourg and Yves Coppens• Strong protruding face• Large megadont teeth; large sagittal crest to provide a large area to

anchor the large chewing muscles to the skull• Tough and fibrous food• Habitat: Savanna• bipedal

Photo credits to: Karen Carr Studio

Photos retrieved from: www.macroevolution.net/paranthropus-aethiopicus.html

Paranthropus robustus

Site: Kromdraai, South Africa

Date of discovery: 1938

Discovered by: Robert Broom

Believed to exist during: 1.8 to 1.2 million years ago

• dish-shaped head• Large megadont cheek teeth; chewing at the back of the jaw; large sagittal crest; post canine teeth• High level of sexual dimorphism• Nuts, seeds and roots• “Robustus” – teeth and face• Habitat: Open Woodland• Bipedal

Photo credits to: Karen Carr Studio

SK 46 SK 48

Photos retrieved from: http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/paranthropus-

robustus

Paranthropus boisei

Found:July 1959Where: Olduvai Gorge, TanzaniaFound by: Mary LeakeyTemporal range: 2.3 to 1.4 million years ago

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/paranthropus-boisei

http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2011/04/muhalululu-and-ngoogounogounmbar.html

Foramen Magnum : short and heart-shapedBi-Pedal: YesPelvis: Similar to the Australopithecus walkTeeth: Pre-molar and molar, very lage; front , very smallSagittal Crest:: Large and more positioned forward Diet: Very hard, brittle foodSpine: Spinal Cord passed the center of skull, Rib Cage is cone shapedLegs: were human like but arms were longer

Australopithecus sediba

Found:

15 August 2008

Where:

Malapa Cave, South Africa

Found by:

Matthew Berger

Temporal range:

1.95 to 1.75 million years ago

• Teeth: Small molars and pre-molars• Bi-Pedal: Yes but has a unique way of walking

• Pelvis : Small even if brain is small• Spine: Curvature

• Limbs: long upper limbs (climbing)• Diet:Harder food, dicots and monocots

• Teeth and Femur characteristics are similar to Autrolopithecus BUT some tooth traits and its broad lower

chest resemble humans

REFERENCES

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species

http://www.macroevolution.net.html

http://eol.org/pages/4454196/details

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/paranthropus-boisei

http://www.becominghuman.org/node/paranthropus-boisei-essay

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/australopithecus-sediba

http://earth-pages.co.uk/tag/australopithecus-sediba/

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v487/n7405/full/nature11185.html

http://www.aaas.org/news/science-australopithecus-sediba-may-have-paved-way-homo