Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Age: 7.0 6.0 mya

Distribution: Chad (central Africa)
Parts: 1 cranium, 1 partial mandible,
several teeth

status disputed
disputed
Remarks: Hominin
Hominid status
- moderate-sized canine
- small premolars and molars
- moderate enamel thickness
- ape-sized brain
- somewhat forward placement
of foramen magnum

Orrorin tugenensis
Age: 6 5.5 mya (6.05 5.66)
Distribution: Kenya
Parts: isolated teeth, 2 femora, 1 humerus, 1 phalanx
Remarks: femur reported to show features indicative
of bipedal progression

Orrorin tugenensis

Ardipithecus ramidus & A. kadaba

Age: kadaba: 5.8 5.2 mya
ramidus: 4.4 4.0 mya
Distribution: Ethiopia
Parts: various cranial, teeth, some postcrania,
including unpublished
partial skeleton
partial skeleton
Remarks: Very ape-like:
- moderate-sized canines
- unicuspid P3, chimp-like dp3
- intermediate enamel thickness
- strong elbow suggesting climbing
Hominid traits:
- incisiform canine
- no honing facet on P3
- forward placement of foramen
magnum

Deciduous 3rd lower premolar

Chimp

Ardipithecus Australo.
ramidus
afarensis

Ardipithecus kadabba

Ardipithecus ramidus

Australopithecus anamensis
Age: 4.3 3.8 mya
Distribution: Kenya, ?Ethiopia
Parts: 1 cranial frag., 1 mandible,
isolated teeth,1 tibia,
several other long bones
Remarks:
Ape-like features:
- moderate-sized canines
- nearly unicuspid P3
- strong humerus & radius
suggesting climbing
Hominid traits:
- thick enamel
- large, broad molars
- tibia indicates bipedalism

Australopithecus anamensis

Australopithecus afarensis
Age: 3.9 3.0 mya
Distribution: Ethiopia (Hadar, Middle Awash, etc.)
Tanzania (Laetoli), Kenya
Parts: numerous cranial and postcranial
Remarks:
Ape-like features:
- moderate-sized canines with diastema
- large incisors, with U-shaped arcade
- prognathic face
- ape-sized brain
- retains climbing features of arms & hands
Hominid traits:
- clearly bipedal
- large molars with thick enamel

Lucy
A.L. 288

Australopithecus africanus
Age: 3.4 2.4 mya
Distribution: South Africa (Taung,
Sterkfontein, Makapansgat)
Parts: numerous cranial and postcranial
Remarks:
Ape-like traits:
- small cranial capacity
- moderate prognathism
- some arboreal features
Human-like traits:
- small C, large P & M
- no diastema
- bipedal
AlsoFacial pillars

STS 71 (Sterkfontein)

Australopithecus sediba

Australopithecussediba
africanus
Australopithecus

Age: 1.95 1.8 mya

Age: 3.4 2.4 mya
Distribution: South Africa (Malapa)
Distribution: South Africa (Taung,
Parts: Two partial skeletons (crania, mandibles,
Sterkfontein, Makapansgat)
limb bones, etc.)
Parts: numerous cranial and postcranial
Remarks:
- gracile
bone structure
Remarks:
- mosaic
of primitive
Ape-like
traits: and derived traits
- small
cranial capacity
- teeth
and mandible
like South African early
- moderate
prognathism
Homo
and Au. africanus
- some
arboreal
features
- flexible
lumbar
spine,
similar to Homo
Human-like
traits:
ergaster
from East
Africa
- small C, large P & M
- forelimbs retain morphology for extensive
- no diastema
climbing and suspensory abilities
- bipedal
- bipedal, but walked differently from other
STS 71 (Sterkfontein)
Australopithecus species

Paranthropus robustus
Australopithecus
Age: 1.9 1.2 mya
Distribution: South Africa
(Swartkrans and Kromdraai)
Parts: numerous crania and postcrania
Remarks:
Megadont chewing machine:
- sagittal crest for large temporalis
- robust, forward-placed zygomatic
for large masseter muscle
- reduced prognathism
- small C & I
- molarized premolars
- megadont molars
- hyper-thick enamel
ape-sized brain
bipedal
AlsoFacial pillars

Australopithecus
Paranthropus boisei
Age: 2.3 1.2 mya
Distribution: Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia
Parts: numerous cranial and postcranial
Remarks:
Hyper-megadont chewing machine
(enhanced features seen in A. robustus)
sagittal crest

robust
zygomatic
facial pillars
megadont Ps & Ms

Homo habilis
Age: 2.5 1.6
Distribution: Tanzania (Olduvai Gorge),
Kenya (East Turkana), South Africa
(Sterkfontein, Swartkrans)
Parts: few crania, mandibles, postcrania
Remarks:
- earliest Homo
- probable maker of earliest
stone tools
- compared to australopithecines:
- relative large incisors
- smaller Ps & Ms
- no hyper-chewing traits
- cranial capacity up to 50%
larger
O.H. 65 Olduvai Gorge

Homo habilis

Mary Leakeys Stone Tool Types for the Oldowan Industry

various utilized flakes (1 3)

bifacial chopper

scraper
discoid

unifacial chopper
proto-handaxe

Conchoidal Fracture Features on Flaked-Stone Artifacts

Small object impact on a pane of glass
produces a full Hertzian cone
Impact on edge produces a half cone

hammerstone impact
on edge of core

negative flake scar

striking platform
bulb of
percussion
ripples

Core

Flake

sharp
cutting
edges

Ventral Face of Flake

Sequential Flaking of a Core Produces a Chopping Edge

negative flake scars