The earliest hominin with the most extensive evidence for bipedalism is the 4.4-million-year-old Ardipithecus ramidus. Ardipithecus ramidus (4.4 million years ago) Ardipithecus ramidus specimen, nicknamed Ardi.
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Judging from fossil animal evidence retrieved from the same site, these early human likely lived in a mix ed habitat of woodlands and grasslands. Its fossils were discovered in the Middle Awash region of Ethiopia in 1997. We know it likely walked upright judging from the large toe that has a broad and robust appearance. This early hominin is known in the fossil record by a few post-cranial bone s and some teeth, but also hand, arm, and foot bones, as well as a clavicle. The bipedal Ardipithecus kadabba (‘kadabba’ means ‘oldest ancestor’ in the Afar language) was chimpanzee-like in body proportions and brain size, but had canines that resemble later hominins. Ardipithecus kadabba (5.2-5.8 million years ago) Credit: Alchetron. Scientists think Orrorin tugenensis climbed tr ees but were also capable of walking upright. Their mo st important body pa rt was their upper femur, which had evidence of bone buildup typically seen in a biped’s. Orrorin tugenensis individuals were about the size of a chimpanzee and had small teeth lined with thick enamel, much like modern humans. Its name means “original man in the Tugen region,” in the local language. More than a dozen fossil s of this species have been excavated thus far, dating between about 6.2 million and 6.0 million years old. It is the only species in the genus Orrorin. Orrorin tugenensis (6 million years ago)Īlso discovered in 2001, this time in the Tugen Hills region of central Kenya, Orrorin tugenensis is another prime example of early upright locomotion. However, it also possessed strikingly human-like features like small canine teeth and a spinal cord opening beneath the skull rather than towards the back ( as encountered in non-bipedal apes ). Its brain was sm all ( slightly smaller than a chimp’ s) w ith a sloppy face and prominent brow. The species had a combination of ape-like and human-like features. This species lived sometime between 7 and 6 million years ago in West-Central Africa (Chad). Discovered in 2001, and known only from a skull and teeth, Sahelanthropus is famous for being one of the first upright walkers - the trait that defines the hominin lineage.ĪDVERTISEMENT Artist recreation of Sahelanthropus tchadensis by artist John Gurche, Trumansburg, NY. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.īetween 6 and 7 million years ago, in the forests and grasslands of West-Central Africa (today it’s the country of Chad) lived one of the oldest known species in our family tree. Sahelanthropus tchadensis (6-7 million years ago) Cast of a Sahelanthropus tchadensis skull (Toumaï).
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11 Homo habilis (1.4-2.33 million years ago).10 Paranthropus boisei (1.2-2.3 million years ago).9 Paranthropus aethiopicus (1.2-2.3 million years ago).8 Australopithecus africanus (2.1-3.3 million years ago).7 Kenyanthropus platyops (3.2-3.5 million years ago).6 Australopithecus afarensis (2.95-3.85 million years ago).5 Australopithecus anamensis (3.9-4.2 million years ago).4 Ardipithecus ramidus (4.4 million years ago).
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3 Ardipithecus kadabba (5.2-5.8 million years ago).2 Orrorin tugenensis (6 million years ago).1 Sahelanthropus tchadensis (6-7 million years ago).