What is Australopithecus anamensis known for?
known for its fossils of Australopithecus anamensis, an early hominin (member of the human lineage) dating to between 3.9 and 4.2 million years ago. Among these fossils is a relatively complete shinbone with features indicating that A. anamensis walked on two legs.
What is the meaning of anamensis?
The word anamensis is based on the word ‘anam’ from the Turkana language used in the area where fossils for this species were discovered. ‘Anam’ means ‘lake’ and is a reference to the ancient lake-side environment once inhabited by this species.
How do we know that Australopithecus was bipedal?
afarensis walked upright like a human, not like a chimp. Evidence for bipedalism comes from skeletal fossils showing pelvis articulation and femur (thigh bone) similar to humans. Irrefutable evidence comes from the Laetoli footprints.
What did Anamensis do?
Australopithecus anamensis has a combination of traits found in both apes and humans. The upper end of the tibia (shin bone) shows an expanded area of bone and a human-like orientation of the ankle joint, indicative of regular bipedal walking (support of body weight on one leg at the time).
Who found Australopithecus anamensis?
DISCOVERY AND GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Multiple paleoanthropologists (most notably Meave Leakey and Alan Walker) are credited with the discovery of Au. anamensis material. The species name refers to the Lake Turkana area of Kenya where the fossil sites of Kanapoi and Allia Bay are located (see Figure 10.2).
What was the environment for Australopithecus?
Australopithecus anamensis at Allia Bay was thus associated with a mosaic environment, including woodlands near the ancestral Omo River and open savanna further away. Two different types of environment – dense woodlands and open bushland – occurred in the same areas of East Africa during the period of human evolution.
What was the Australopithecus lifestyle?
They also had small canine teeth like all other early humans, and a body that stood on two legs and regularly walked upright. Their adaptations for living both in the trees and on the ground helped them survive for almost a million years as climate and environments changed.
What is the best known australopithecine?
Australopithecus afarensis is the most well known species, partly because of the famous “Lucy” skeleton (A.L. 288-1), and partly because it is known from most skeletal elements from male and female, young and old individuals. Much of our understanding of hominin origins is based on A.
What characteristics were indicative of members of the genus Australopithecus?
afarensis had both ape and human characteristics: members of this species had apelike face proportions (a flat nose, a strongly projecting lower jaw) and braincase (with a small brain, usually less than 500 cubic centimeters — about 1/3 the size of a modern human brain), and long, strong arms with curved fingers …