Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Age: 7.0 6.0 myaDistribution: Chad (central Africa)

Parts: 1 cranium, 1 partial mandible,

several teeth

Remarks: Hominid status disputed

- moderate-sized canine

- small premolars and molars

- moderate enamel thickness

- ape-sized brain

- somewhat forward placement

of foramen magnum

Hominin status disputed

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

Chimp Ardipithecus Australo.

ramidus afarensis

Deciduous 3rd lower premolar

Ardipithecus ramidus & A. kadaba

Age: kadaba: 5.8 5.2 myaramidus: 4.4 4.0 mya

Distribution: Ethiopia

Parts: various cranial, teeth, some postcrania,

including unpublished partial skeleton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

partial skeleton

Ardipithecus kadabba

Ardipithecus ramidus

Australopithecus anamensis

Age: 4.3 3.8 myaDistribution: 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

LucyA.L. 288

Australopithecus afarensis

Age: 3.9 3.0 myaDistribution: 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

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

STS 71 (Sterkfontein)AlsoFacial pillars

Australopithecus sediba

Australopithecus sediba

Age: 1.95 1.8 mya

Distribution: South Africa (Malapa)

Parts: Two partial skeletons (crania, mandibles,

limb bones, etc.)

Remarks:

- gracile bone structure

- mosaic of primitive and derived traits

- teeth and mandible like South African early Homo and Au. africanus

- flexible lumbar spine, similar to Homo

ergaster from East Africa

- forelimbs retain morphology for extensive

climbing and suspensory abilities

- bipedal, but walked differently from other Australopithecus species

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

STS 71 (Sterkfontein)

Australopithecus robustus

Age: 1.9 1.2 myaDistribution: 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

Paranthropus

AlsoFacial pillars

Australopithecus boisei

Age: 2.3 1.2 myaDistribution: Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia

Parts: numerous cranial and postcranial

Remarks:

Hyper-megadont chewing machine

(enhanced features seen in A. robustus)sagittal crest

robust

zygomatic

facial pillarsmegadont Ps & Ms

Paranthropus

Homo habilis

Age: 2.5 1.6Distribution: 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

proto-handaxe

unifacial chopper

Conchoidal Fracture Features on Flaked-Stone Artifacts

Core Flake Ventral Face of Flake

striking platform

bulb of

percussion

ripples

negative flake scarhammerstone impact

on edge of core

Small object impact on a pane of glass

produces a full Hertzian cone

Impact on edge produces a half cone

sharp

cutting

edges

Sequential Flaking of a Core Produces a Chopping Edge

negative flake scars