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/humanfossils/species/paranthropus-robustus

Paranthropus
boisei

Found: July 1959

Where: Olduvai
Gorge, Tanzania
Found by: Mary
Leakey
Temporal range: 2.3 to
1.4 million years ago
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/humanfossils/species/paranthropus-boisei

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

Foramen Magnum : short and heart-shaped

Bi-Pedal: Yes
Pelvis: Similar to the Australopithecus walk
Teeth: Pre-molar and molar, very lage; front , very small
Sagittal Crest:: Large and more positioned forward
Diet: Very hard, brittle food
Spine: Spinal Cord passed the center of skull, Rib Cage is cone shaped
Legs: were human like but arms were longer

Australopithecu
s 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