Australopithecus anamensis Named by Meave Leakey and colleagues in 1994 crania, teeth & postcrania 2 sites: Allia Bay & Kanapoi ca Ma

A. anamensis

LOUIS LEAKEY

Paranthropus boisei O.H. 5 discovered 1959 “robust” australopithecine -- Zinjanthropus massive premolars and molars tiny canines and incisors “Human Cuisinart”

Robust australopithecines = Paranthropus Late Pliocene - early Pleistocene deposits ( Ma) East & South Africa massive molars flatter, braoder, “dished” faces poorly known post- cranial anatomy similar in size to Australopithecus

P. boisei -- female & male KNM-ER 732KNM-ER 406

KNM-WT The “Black Skull” 1985 discovery W. Turkana (Kenya) & Omo (Ethiopia) ca Ma primitive “robust” australopithecine Paranthropus aethiopicus

Gracile australopithecines Australopithecus africanus A. afarensis A. anamensis A. bahrelghazali Robust australopithecines Paranthropus robustus P. aethiopicus P. boisei Generalized jaws & teethSpecialized jaws & teeth

Australopithecus garhi 1999 discovery by Asfaw, White and colleagues 2.5 Ma Ethiopia’s Middle Awash region garhi = “surprise”

A. garhi craniodental & postcranial remains (? association) Cranium: –small brain –prognathic face –very large teeth Post-cranium: –long legs –long forearms –< 5 ft tall

A. garhi Antelope remains from nearby site with cutmarks A. garhi or another hominin species is responsible (?) meat/marrow eating at an early date -- “hallmark” in human evolution

Hominin Trends AustralopithecusHomo Encephalization Dentition

Bone Marrow

22 March 2001

Kenyanthropus platyops nov. sp. Disc by Meave Leakey

“flat-faced man of Kenya” 3.2 to 3.5 Ma – western Lake Turkana contemporary with “Lucy” new genus -- controversial! KNM-WT = holotype Kenyanthropus platyops nov. sp.

Confused about taxonomy? Hominidae Australopithecinae Homininae African apes not included Australopithecines a SUBFAMILY Hominidae Gorillinae Homininae Australopithecini Hominini Australopithecines a TRIBE

Hominin Trends AustralopithecusHomo Encephalization Dentition

Homo habilis Leakey et al., 1964 Olduvai Gorge –Beds I and II – Ma “Handy Man” Tool association Passes “cerebral rubicon” Reduced molar size

Species based on... BED I Materials OH 4 -- isolated teeth OH 6 -- cranial fragments OH 7 -- mandible, parietals, hand bones (Type) OH 8 -- partial foot OH toe bone OH tibia & fibula OH clavicle OH radius shaft

Species based on... BED II Materials OH mandible, maxilla, cranial frags (Paratype) OH cranial fragments OH partial skull

The Cerebral Rubicon Cranial Capacity (cm 3 ) A. africanus x = 440 P. boiseix = 515 H. habilisx = 640 H. erectusx = 1000

Defining Homo habilis Craniodental Remains retreating chin region relatively large I & C small (narrow) molars (relative to Australopithecus) M3 smaller than M2 Temporal lines never meet in midline slight postorbital constriction

Postcranial Remains hand bones robust, prehensile stout big toe, adducted hand & forelimbs indicate climbing & weight support adaptations Defining Homo habilis

OH “Twiggy” Olduvai Gorge -- Lower Bed I partial & reconstructed skull female individual cranial capacity ca. 590 cm 3 (smaller than Australopithecus) slight postorbital constriction domed forehead expanded parietal region

Oldowan “Chopper” Technology

Homo habilis fossils (at one time or another)

Single Species Hypothesis C. Loring Brace & Milford Wolpoff (University of Michigan) 1960s & early 1970s All anatomical differences between hominin species is Intraspecific variation, not Interspecific variation. Only one species of hominin can exist at any one time.

Too much variation to justify single species

Wolpoff (1964) H. habilis is indistinct from A. africanus H. habilis diagnostic features insignificant … –Bed I = A. africanus –Bed II = early H. erectus H. habilis direct ancestor to H. sapiens -- descended from A. africanus. H. erectus a dead end. Robinson (1965) Leakey (1966) H. habilis H. erectus H. sapiens A. africanus