RESULTS OF THE KOOBI FORA RESULTS OF THE KOOBI FORA

RESEARCH PROJECTRESEARCH PROJECT

Koobi Fora Research Project (KFRP) 1968-today

Exploration of the fossil exposures in the Omo-Turkana Basin, northern Kenya, for evidence that will disclose the course and context of human evolution

Australopithecus africanus 1925 Paranthropus robustus 1938

South Africa

What was known from Africa in 1968

Paranthropus boiseiParanthropus boisei19591959

East Africa

Homo habilis

Homo erectus

Olduvai Gorge 1960s

KNM-KP 271

Kanapoi 1965

Lothagam 1967KNM-LT 329

What was known from Kenya?

Late Miocene/early Pliocene

Baringo, Chemeron

Baringo, Kapthurin

Kanam

Late Pliocene /Pleistocene

EAST EAST TURKANA TURKANA

19681968

Field work Field work 19691969

ParanthropParanthropus boiseius boisei

ParanthropParanthropus boiseius boisei

female

Field work Field work 19701970

Koobi Fora Koobi Fora 19701970

KBS SITEKBS SITE1.8 million years1.8 million years

Koobi Fora Research Project 1970s

1972

1974

Homo habilis

Homo rudolphensis

Early Homo

Earliest known Earliest known Homo erectusHomo erectus skull 1.89 myr skull 1.89 myr

1975

1979 Frank Brown, with Thure Cerling, defined finger printing method of identifying tuffs (volcanic ashes)

Significance of finds in 70s•Geological history of lake basin

outlined

•Fossiliferous areas along Koobi Fora Ridge and Karari escarpment mapped

•Pliocene and Pleistocene faunas documented

•Rich hominid record disclosed

•Environmental trends towards more open country habitats demonstrated

•Archaeological record established

•Initial investigations of Holocene record

Koobi Fora Research Project 1980s

Nachukui Formation, West Turkana

Nariokotome 1984

Turkana Boy 1.56 myr

Only known Homo erectus skeleton

KNM-ER 15000

Paranthropus Paranthropus ææthiopicus thiopicus Earliest skull known of a Earliest skull known of a robust australopithecine robust australopithecine

2.6 2.6 myrmyr

KNM-ER 17000

““Black Black Skull”Skull”

Earliest fossil ape Earliest fossil ape Kamoyapithecus hamiltoniKamoyapithecus hamiltoni

Loperot and Lothodok

Late OligoceneLate Oligocene 23-25 myr

Kalodirr and Kalodirr and Buluk 17-18 Buluk 17-18

myr myr

Three new Three new genera and genera and species of species of fossil apesfossil apes

Significance of finds in 80s•Increased understanding of Homo

erectus body plan, brain size and development

•Pliocene and Pleistocene faunal assemblages around the lake basin documented

•Earliest Paranthropus described

•Earliest fossil ape from the late Oligocene

•Three new species of early Miocene apes discovered

Major Turkana Basin Discoveries Major Turkana Basin Discoveries 1968-19891968-1989

H. sapiens

chimpanzee

Capitates

Koobi Fora ResearchProject 1990s

A. afarensis South Turkwell

chimpanzee

South Turkwell 3.5 myr

LOTHAGAM 8–3.5 LOTHAGAM 8–3.5 myrmyr

Lothagam Late Miocene hominins ~5.0 myr

Lothagam Late Miocene fauna ~7.0-5.0 myr

Type site for:10 vertebrate genera (7 are mammals)

and 8 vertebrate species (21 are mammals)

LOTHAGALOTHAGAMM

Brachypotherium

Stegotetrabelodon

TragoportaxTragoportax

Palaeotragus

kobkob

Hexaprotodon

Nyanzachoerus

kudukudu

impalaimpala

Isotopes

Radiation of C4 grasses: many herbivores change from C3 to C4

diets after 9 myr

EQUIDAEQUIDAEE

PROBOSCIDPROBOSCIDEAEA

8myr

8-7myr

Allia Bay – Site 261-1 Allia Bay – Site 261-1 3.9 myr3.9 myr

Allia Bay - 3.9 Allia Bay - 3.9 myrmyr

KANAPOI 4.1 myr

Australopithecus Australopithecus anamensisanamensis

4.1 myr4.1 myr

Capitates

A. afarensis

chimpanzeeA. anamensis

South Turkwell

Kanapoi

A. afarensis

Australopithecus

anamensisFossil evidence:• 47 specimens from Kanapoi• 31 of specimens from Allia Bay• TOTAL 78Significance:• earliest australopithecine• secure evidence of bipedality• wrist primitive• likely ancestor for A. afarensis

Louise Leakey co-leader KFRP 1998-

today

LOMEKWI LOMEKWI 3.5-3.2 myr3.5-3.2 myr

3 Ma

6 Ma ?

?

Australopithecus

afarensis

the common ancestor?

Kenyanthropus platyopsKenyanthropus platyopsHolotype:Holotype: Cranium KNM-WT 40000 (3.5 Myr.)

Etymology:Etymology: platus (Gk), flat; opsis (GK), face, appearance

?

Significance of finds in 90s•First good East African late

Miocene fauna described

•Many herbivores change to C4 dominated diet between 8-6 myr

•Australopithecus anamensis: Earliest australopithecine bipedal but with primitive wrist bone 4.1 myr

•Kenyanthropus platyops: diversity in the hominin lineage at 3.5 myr

EAST EAST TURKANATURKANA

20002000

Fossils collected in 70s 2.0 to 1.3

myr

Discovery of KNM-ER 42700

by Frederick Manthi in 2000

1.55 ± 0.05 myr

Homo erectus

SmallesSmallest 691cct 691cc

LargestLargest1067cc1067cc

Sexual Dimorphism in Homo erectus

KNM-ER 42703

Homo habilis

1.44+0.01 myr

•Homo erectusHomo erectus highly sexually highly sexually dimorphic, almost as dimorphic dimorphic, almost as dimorphic as modern gorillasas modern gorillas

•Expect a significant degree of Expect a significant degree of variationvariation

•Homo habilisHomo habilis lived alongside lived alongside Homo erectusHomo erectus for >400,000 yrs for >400,000 yrs (from 1.87 to 1.44 myr)(from 1.87 to 1.44 myr)

Significance of finds Significance of finds in 2000in 2000

Current Research: GIS technology

GIS - Global GIS - Global information systemsinformation systems

2000-20071970-1980East

Turkana fossil collections- context for human ancestors

New primate species discovered by the KFRP 1968-2008

Hominids

Homo ergaster

Homo rudolphensis

Kenyanthropus platyops

Australopithecus anamensis

Kamoyapithecus hamiltoni

Turkanapithecus kalakolensis

Afropithecus turkanensis

Simiolus engiessi

Cercopithecids

Paracolobus mutiwa

Paracolobus kerioensis

Rhinocolobus turkanensis

Cercopithecoides kimeui

Colobus freedmani

Parapapio lothagamensis

Numbers of fossils and hominins collected 1968-2008 between 8-1.3 myr

Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene

number of fossils

number of

hominins

East Turkana 9,887 271West Turkana 4,310 61Kanapoi 518 46Lothagam 1,600 6

Total 16,315 384

MONOGRAPHS and publications

MONOGRAPHS and publications

Sibiloi National Park gazetted in

1973

LLSB Memorial Building, completed 1977

Turkana Basin Institute

TBI postdoctoral fellows

Dr. Francis Kirera

Dr. Frederick Manthi

Dr. Veronica Waweru

Koobi Fora Research Project Field Crew who find the fossils

If you want to know moreIf you want to know morewww.turkanabasin.org

www.kfrp.com

Special thanks to the National Special thanks to the National Geographic SocietyGeographic Society for their long for their long term sponsorshipterm sponsorship