when did paranthropus aethiopicus live

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When did Paranthropus aethiopicus go extinct?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Paranthropus aethiopicus is an extinct species of robust australopithecine from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene of East Africa about 2.7–2.3 million years ago.

What is the origin of Paranthropus?

Paranthropus (from Greek παρα, para "beside"; άνθρωπος, ánthropos "human") is a genus of extinct hominins that lived between 2.6 and 1.1 million years ago. Also known as robust australopithecines, they were bipedal hominids probably descended from the gracile australopithecine hominids (Australopithecus) 2.7 million years ago.

Where did Paranthropus boisei live?

The Paranthropus boisei lived 2.3 million to 1.2 million years ago on the Eastern side of the continent of Africa. The first fossils of this species were uncovered in 1955, but Paranthropus boisei was not officially declared a new species until 1959.

What does Paranthropus aethiopicus look like?

Paranthropus aethiopicus was first proposed in 1967 to describe a toothless partial mandible (Omo 18) found in Ethiopia by French paleontologists. Lower jaw and teeth fragments have been uncovered. P. aethiopicus had a large sagittal crest and zygomatic arch adapted for heavy chewing (as in gorilla skulls).

Where did Paranthropus Aethiopicus live?

East AfricaParanthropus aethiopicus is an extinct species of robust australopithecine from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene of East Africa about 2.7–2.3 million years ago.

When did Australopithecus Aethiopicus live?

Australopithecus aethiopicus (2.7–2.3 mya), formerly known as Paranthropus aethopicus, is the earliest of the so-called robust australopiths, a group that also includes A.

When was Aethiopicus discovered?

In 1967, the earliest Au. aethiopicus fossils were discovered by Yves Coppens and Camille Arambourg in the Shungura deposits at the site of Omo in southern Ethiopia. They assigned them to a new genus and species, Paraustralopithecus aethiopicus.

Who discovered Paranthropus Aethiopicus?

Alan WalkerParanthropus aethiopicus or Australopithecus aethiopicus is an extinct species of hominid, one of the robust australopithecines. The finding discovered in 1985 by Alan Walker in West Turkana, Kenya, is known as the 'Black Skull' due to the dark coloration of the bone, caused by high levels of manganese.

What did Paranthropus Aethiopicus evolve from?

Australopithecus afarensisNone of these species is considered to be a direct ancestor of humans. P. aethiopicus may have evolved from Australopithecus afarensis or from an earlier species such as A. anamensis.

Why did Paranthropus go extinct?

Whereas the ancestors of humans were thought to be adaptable generalists, Paranthropus species, which evolved massive teeth and jaws for chewing hard vegetation, were thought to have hit an evolutionary dead end because they were too specialised to adapt to new food sources produced by Africa's changing climate.

Which is the oldest species of the genus Paranthropus?

P. aethiopicus is the earliest member of the genus, with the oldest remains, from the Ethiopian Omo Kibish Formation, dated to 2.6 mya at the end of the Pliocene. It is sometimes regarded as the direct ancestor of P. boisei and P.

What did Paranthropus Aethiopicus eat?

Robust species like Paranthropus robustus had large teeth as well as a ridge on top of the skull, where strong chewing muscles attached. These features allowed individuals to crush and grind hard foods such as nuts, seeds, roots, and tubers in the back of the jaw; however, P. robustus didn't just eat tough foods.

Who discovered black skull?

Alan WalkerPaleoanthropologists Alan Walker and Richard Leakey unearthed the Black Skull (KNM-WT 17000) in 1985 at the site of West Turkana, Kenya. The 2.5-million-year-old skull was darkened by manganese minerals in the soil where it was buried.

Who is the Nutcracker Man?

Paranthropus boiseiThe researchers examined the teeth of Paranthropus boisei, an ancient hominin that lived between 2.3 and 1.2 million years ago and is known popularly as the "Nutcracker Man" because it has the biggest, flattest cheek teeth and the thickest enamel of any known human ancestor.

Where was the black skull found?

KenyaHistory of Discovery: In 1985, when Alan Walker and Richard Leakey discovered the famous "Black Skull" west of Lake Turkana in Kenya, the classification reemerged.

What kind of food did Paranthropus eat?

The East African hominin Paranthropus boisei possessed large and low-cusped postcanine dentition, large and thick mandibular corpora, and powerful muscles of mastication, which are generally believed to be adaptations for a diet of nuts, seeds, and hard fruit (1–3).

What is the oldest australopithecine?

The earliest member of the genus Australopithecus is Au. anamensis, which was discovered in northern Kenya near Lake Turkana at Kanapoi and Allia Bay. The species was first described in 1995 after an analysis of isolated teeth, upper and lower jaws, fragments of a cranium, and a tibia unearthed at the discovery sites.

What is the oldest australopithecine species quizlet?

Australopithecus robustus was likely the longest-surviving species of australopithecine in South Africa. It had: large molars, a big face, and a sagittal crest.

Why did australopithecines go extinct?

Perhaps the increased severity of droughts during glacial maxima caused the extinction of the robust australopithecines. There is evidence that Australopithecus africanus persisted to about 2.3 Ma (Delson, 1988), but we do not now know for sure that it survived beyond the origin of Homo at about 2.4 Ma.

Which hominin left Africa first?

human Homo erectusThe extinct ancient human Homo erectus is a species of firsts. It was the first of our relatives to have human-like body proportions, with shorter arms and longer legs relative to its torso. It was also the first known hominin to migrate out of Africa, and possibly the first to cook food.

What is Paranthropus aethiopicus?

Unlike P. boisei which generally is found in the context of closed, wet environments, P. aethiopicus seems to have inhabited bushland to open woodland habitats around edaphic (water-logged) grasslands. The Omo–Turkana Basin 2.5 million years ago (at the Pliocene / Pleistocene border) featured a mix of forests, woodlands, grasslands, and bushlands, though grasslands appear to have been expanding through the Early Pleistocene. Homo seems to have entered the region 2.5–2.4 million years ago.

What is the genus Paranthropus?

The genus Paranthropus (from Ancient Greek παρα para beside or alongside, and άνθρωπος ánthropos man, otherwise known as "robust australopithecines") typically includes P. aethiopicus, P. boisei, and P. robustus. P. aethiopicus is the earliest member of the genus, with the oldest remains, from the Ethiopian Omo Kibish Formation, dated to 2.6 million years ago (mya) at the end of the Pliocene. It is possible that P. aethiopicus evolved even earlier, up to 3.3 mya, on the expansive Kenyan floodplains of the time. P. aethiopicus is only confidently identified from the skull KNM WT 17000 and a few jaws and isolated teeth, and is generally considered to have been ancestral to P. boisei which also inhabited East Africa, making it a chronospecies. Because of this relationship, it is debatable if P. aethiopicus should be subsumed under P. boisei or if the differences stemming from archaicness should justify species distinction. The terms P. boisei sensu lato ("in the broad sense") and P. boisei sensu stricto ("in the strict sense") can be used to respectively include and exclude P. aethiopicus from P. boisei when discussing the lineage as a whole.

What is the name of the skull of P. aethiopicus?

However, likely due to its archaicness, it also diverges from other Paranthropus, with some aspects resembling the much earlier A. afarensis. P. aethiopicus is known primarily by the skull KNM WT 17000 from Koobi Fora, Lake Turkana, Kenya, as well as some jawbones from Koobi Fora; the Shungura Formation, Ethiopia; and Laetoli, Kenya. These locations featured bushland to open woodland landscapes with edaphic (water-logged) grasslands.

Where is P. aethiopicus found?

These locations featured bushland to open woodland landscapes with edaphic (water-logged) grasslands.

When did Australopithecus aethiopicus go extinct?

Ferguson, 1989. Paranthropus aethiopicus is an extinct species of robust australopithecine from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene of East Africa about 2.7–2.3 million years ago. However, it is much debated whether or not Paranthropus is an invalid ...

Where is the skull of KNM WT 17000 from?

In 1985, the skull KNM WT 17000 dating to 2.5 million years ago was reported from Koobi Fora, Lake Turkana, Kenya, by anthropologists Alan Walker and Richard Leakey. A partial jawbone from a different individual, KNM-WT 16005, was also discovered. They clearly belonged to a robust australopithecine.

What is the name of the hominid that lived in South Africa?

Australopithecus afarensis – Extinct hominid from the Pliocene of East Africa. Australopithecus africanus – Extinct hominid from South Africa. Homo habilis – Archaic human species from 2.1 to 1.5 mya. Homo rudolfensis – Extinct hominin from the Early Pleistocene of East Africa.

Where did the Paranthropus come from?

The genus Paranthropus was first erected by Scottish South African palaeontologist Robert Broom in 1938, with the type species P. robustus. " Paranthropus " derives from Ancient Greek παρα para beside or alongside; and άνθρωπος ánthropos man. The type specimen, a male braincase, TM 1517, was discovered by schoolboy Gert Terblanche at the Kromdraai fossil site, about 70 km (43 mi) southwest of Pretoria, South Africa. By 1988, at least 6 individuals were unearthed in around the same area, now known as the Cradle of Humankind.

Where did P. aethiopicus originate?

P. aethiopicus is the earliest member of the genus, with the oldest remains, from the Ethiopian Omo Kibish Formation , dated to 2.6 mya at the end of the Pliocene. It is sometimes regarded as the direct ancestor of P. boisei and P. robustus. It is possible that P. aethiopicus evolved even earlier, up to 3.3 mya, on the expansive Kenyan floodplains of the time. The oldest P. boisei remains date to about 2.3 mya from Malema, Malawi. P. boisei changed remarkably little over its nearly 1 million year existence. Paranthropus had spread into South Africa by 2 mya with the earliest P. robustus remains.

How big is a P. robustus?

robustus are estimated to have stood on average 132 and 110 cm (4 ft 4 in and 3 ft 7 in) respectively; and P. boisei 137 and 124 cm (4 ft 6 in and 4 ft 1 in).

What adaptations did Paranthropus have?

Paranthropus had adaptations to the skull to resist large bite loads while feeding, namely the expansive squamosal sutures. The notably thick palate was once thought to have been an adaptation to resist a high bite force, but is better explained as a byproduct of facial lengthening and nasal anatomy.

What is the skull of Paranthropus?

Skull. Paranthropus had a massively built, tall, and flat skull, with a prominent gorilla -like sagittal crest along the midline which anchored massive temporalis muscles used in chewing. Like other australopithecines, Paranthropus exhibited sexual dimorphism, with males notably larger than females.

What is the name of the hominin that lived between 2.6 million years ago?

boisei. However, the validity of Paranthropus is contested, and it is sometimes considered to be synonymous with Australopithecus. They are also referred to as the robust australopithecines. They lived between approximately 2.6 and 0.6 million years ago (mya) from the end of the Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene .

Who named the cryptid P. congensis?

In 1963, while in the Congo, French ethnographer Charles Cordier assigned the name "P. congensis" to a super-strong, monstrous ape-man cryptid called "Kikomba", "Apamándi", "Abanaánji", "Zuluzúgu", or "Tshingómbe" by various native tribes which he heard stories about.

How long ago did Paranthropus live?

Paranthropus is an extinct bipedal hominid genus which lived approximately 2.7 to 1.2 million years ago – from the Pliocene Period through the Pleistocene Period. This genus is actually composed of 3 different hominid species which have helped scientists to link modern humans to our earlier human ancestors.

How tall is Paranthropus?

Paranthropus pictures of this species show them standing about 4 ‘6” tall and weighing approximately 108 pounds, which is the average height and male of the males of this species. The female of this species was about 4’1” tall and weighed around 75 pounds. They lived about 2.3 to 1.3 million years ago. Paranthropus aethiopicus was first discovered ...

When was Paranthropus boisei discovered?

They lived about 1.8 to 1.2 million years ago. Paranthropus boisei was the next hominid species to be discovered. It was discovered in 1955 but much wasn’t thought about it at the time because it was believed to have belonged to an existing species at the time.

Where was the first hominid found?

The first of these hominids to be found was Paranthropus robustus in 1938 when a jawbone fragment was found in a farm field in South Africa. This jaw bone was then sent to Robert Broom.

What are the different types of hominids?

Hominids are formally known as the Great Apes and they comprise 4 different genera, which includes humans, gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans. How the word hominid is used has changed over the years, but it is usually used to refer to human and their close ape ancestors.

When was Paranthropus discovered?

The first Paranthropus discovery in east Africa was made in 1959 by Mary Leakey. Since then, more than 300 Paranthropus fossils have been uncovered and three species are now included in the group. Important specimens: Paranthropus robustus. SK 23 – a lower jaw discovered in Swartkrans, South Africa.

What is the genus of Paranthropus?

The genus Paranthropus currently includes three species, Paranthropus boisei, Paranthropus robustus, and Paranthropus walkeri. They are collectively known as the ‘robusts’ because of their extremely large jaws and molar teeth. They are our distant ‘cousins’ rather than our direct relatives. Background to discovery.

What are the three species of Paranthropus?

The genus Paranthropus currently includes three species, Paranthropus boisei, Paranthropus robustus, and Paranthropus walkeri. They are collectively known as the ‘robusts’ because of their extremely large jaws and molar teeth. They are our distant ‘cousins’ rather than our direct relatives.

What is the ancestor of P. robustus?

The ancestry of P. robustus is debated. Some consider it to have evolved from P. walkeri. Others think its ancestor may have been Australopithecus africanus.

What does the name Paranthropus mean?

What the names mean. Paranthropus is based on the Greek words, ‘para’ meaning ‘beside’ or ‘near’ and ‘an thropus’ meaning ‘man’. There are three species in the Paranthropus genus or group. The second word from each species’ scientific name is:

What is the name of the species of Australopithecus?

Some scientists call the species in this group the ‘robusts’ or ‘robust australopithecines’ and the genus name Australopithecus has sometimes been preferred instead of Paranthropus for all three species. Various other names have been used over the years.

How long ago did the hominin live?

The only species in this genus, this hominin lived about 3 million years ago. However, the species name is based on a distorted and fragmented skull and many debate its validity.

Where was the first mandible found?

The first specimen attributed to this species group is an edentulous mandible (Omo 18) found in southern Ethiopia, west of the Omo River, in 1967. The specimen was discovered by a French expedition led by Camille Arambourg and Yves Coppens. This 2.5 million-year-old mandible was placed into a new species by its discoverers, who named the species Paraustralopithecus aethiopicus. They believed that the specimen deserved a new species designation because its V-shaped jaw (among other features) distinguished it from the robust australopithecus forms known in the area. Generally, the discovery and designation were ignored by the majority of paleoanthropologists.

When was the Black Skull discovered?

The discovery of KNM-WT 17000 (the “Black Skull”) occurred in 1986 and is an important part of the australopithecine puzzle. Very little is known about Australopithecus aethiopicus, since so few specimens have been attributed to the species, but the features that are known provide important insights into the possible evolutionary history between the “robust” and “gracile” australopithecines. In general, aethiopicus shows a mixture of both primitive and derived features, and dates to a time that makes it important in its placement into the hominid phylogenetic tree.

What is the black skull?

The better-known aethiopicus specimen is KNM-WT 17000, a nearly complete skull sans the mandible. The specimen is known as the “Black Skull” because mineral uptake during fossilization gave the specimen a blue-black color. The specimen was discovered in a 2.5 myr deposit west of Lake Turkana, and threw a wrench in many evolutionary schemes accepted by many researchers. The specimen is similar to a male A. afarensis, but with a very small cranial capacity (410 cc), and an even more powerful nuchal musculature and very developed masticatory apparatus.

What is the species name of the Omo mandible?

The genus name was dropped in favour of the more traditional Australopithecus designation, but Arambourg and Coppens’ species designation of aethiopicus was taken as the species name. This species designation is still debated by many who see the remains of early robustus or an early precursor and those who see aethiopicus as proof that africanus is not the forerunner of all the “robusts”.

Is aethiopicus a dead end sidebranch?

Skelton and McHenry (1992) and Lieberman et al. (1996) both came to the same conclusions regarding aethiopicus and Paranthropus using different character traits. Both see aethiopicus as a dead-end sidebranch and Paranthropus as polyphyletic and invalid. On the other side of the coin, Strait et al. (1997) see all the robusts sharing a recent common ancestor (aethiopicus), with Paranthropus monophyletic.

Is Australopithecus aethiopicus polyphyletic?

Australopithecus aethiopicus became important in phylogenetic considerations soon after the discovery of the Black Skull. The species is generally accepted to have shown that the genus designation Paranthropus is polyphyletic and invalid, though some still vocally argue against that fact. One of the earliest important cladistic analysis was by Walker and Leakey (1988), which they claim shows aethiopicus is at the base of the boisei lineage, is more primitive than robustus, and that aethiopicus is not ancestral to robustus.

Where was Paranthropus aethiopicus first discovered?

Paranthropus aethiopicus. Model of a Paranthropus aethiopicus -- Natural History Museum, London (2008). The Paranthropus aethiopicus was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1967 but wasn't accepted as a new species until a full skull was discovered in Kenya in 1985.

How old are Paranthropus aethiopicus fossils?

The fossils are thought to be between 2.7 million and 2.3 million years old. Since there are very few fossils of Paranthropus aethiopicus that have been discovered, not much is known about this species of human ancestor.

What do Paranthropus boisei eat?

Based on examining fossilized teeth of the Paranthropus boisei species, they seemed to prefer eating soft food like fruit. However, their immense chewing power and extremely large teeth would allow them to eat rougher foods like nuts and roots if they had to in order to survive.

Why did Paranthropus robustus have teeth?

The Paranthropus robustus also had very large teeth in the back of their mouths for grinding hard foods. The larger face of the Paranthropus robustus allowed for big chewing muscles to anchor to the jaws so they could eat tough foods like nuts.

What group of people helped link the modern human to earlier human ancestors?

The idea that humans evolved from a "lower" life form is still debated by many religious groups and other individuals. The Paranthropus Group of human ancestors help link the modern human to earlier human ancestors and give us a good idea of how ancient humans lived and evolved. With three known species falling into this grouping, ...

When was Paranthropus boisei discovered?

The first fossils of this species were uncovered in 1955, but Paranthropus boisei was not officially declared a new species until 1959.

Where is the Paranthropus skull found?

Paranthropus robustus. The original complete skull (without mandible) of a 1,8 million years old Paranthropus robustus discovered in South Africa. Collection of the Transvaal Museum, Northern Flagship Institute, Pretoria South Africa. Paranthropus robustus is the last of the Paranthropus Group of human ancestors.

Overview

Taxonomy

Description

Palaeoecology

See also

External links

Overview

Taxonomy

Description

Palaeobiology

Palaeoecology

See also

Further reading

External links