D I A G N O S T I C F E AT U R E S

cranio-dental
thick enamel on postcanines reduced cranial base flexion (external) asterionic notch present extensive pneumatisation of the temporal squama shallow glenoid fossa cerebellum is not tucked shallow anterior palate primitive mandibular fossa

similar to A. afarensis

facial prognathism small cranial capacity (410cc) cresting features on back of skull

Paranthropus aethiopicus
Timespan: Region: Specimens: Discovered: 2.2 2.8 mya East Africa 3+ Leakey 1995 Diet: Speculation/theories:
Often as Australopithecus aethiopicus; sometimes as P. walkeri Specimens (Black Skull) orig classified as P. boisei Likely ancestor to P. boisei and/or P. robustus but disproves A. africanus as ancestor to all; possible parallel evol (A. africanus to P. robustus in South Africa, P. aethiopics to P. boisei in East Africa) Larger incisors than P. robustus & P. boisei imply more important in diet-driven Environment apparently more closed than P. boisei

differs from A. afarensis

Paranthropus' masticatory specializations: massive jaws huge grinding cheek teeth sagittal crests

prominent sagittal crest flat & concave face markedly expanded cheek teeth

Holotype: Lineage: Environment:

OMO-18
more primitive cranial vault and base w/ shallow articular fossa low articular eminence continuous with a flat preglenoid planum more prognathic face larger incisors less- flexed cranial base than P. boisei

Savannah (& possible closed)

differs from P. boisei

KEY SPECIMENS
OMO-18: mandible KNM-WT 17000, the Black Skull cranium, KNM-WT 16005: mandible

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ackerman, R. & R. Smith (2007) The Macroevolution of our Ancient Lineage: What We Know (or Think We Know) about Early Hominin Diversity, Evolutionary Biology 34: 72-85 Arambourg, C., & Y. Coppens (1968).Sur la dcouverte, dans la Plistocne infrieur de a valle de l'Omo (Ethiopie), d'une mandibule d'Australopithcien. C. R. Acad. Sci., 265: 589-590. Falk, D., et al (2000). Early hominid brain evolution: a new look at old endocasts. Journal of human evolution, 38(5), 695-717 Groves, C. P. (1999). News and Views Nomenclature of African Plio-Pleistocene hominins. Journal of Human Evolution. Kimbel, W. et al (1988) Implications of KNM-WT-1700 for the evolution of 'Robust' Australopithecus, In Fred E. Grine, editor, Evolutionary History of the Robust Australopithecines 259-268 Ramirez-Rozzi, F. (1993) Tooth development in East African Paranthropus, Science 24, (6) 429-454 Strait, D. S. et al(1997). A reappraisal of early hominid phylogeny. Journal of human evolution, 32(1), 17-82. Walker, A.C., et al (1986) 2.5-Myr Australopithecus boisei from west of Lake Turkana, Kenya. Nature, 322, 517-522. Wood, B., & Constantino, P. (2007). Paranthropus boisei : Fifty Years of Evidence and Analysis. Nature, 132, 106-132. Human Evolution: Taxonomy and Palaeobiology

MAJOR SITES
West Turkana, Kenya KNM-WT-17OO found Omo, Ethiopia OMO-18 found