Sites: Lomekwi, West Turkana, Kenya
Age: 3.5 to 3.2 mya Type specimen: KNM-WT 4000 – "Flat Faced Man" Specimens: KNM-WT 4000 Cranial capacity: approximately 450 cm3 Cranial architecture: The cranium has a tall malar region, and exhibits relatively moderate post-orbital constriction. Dentition: Based on preserved teeth and molar roots, the upper molar size was small, and the teeth had thick enamel. Postcranial: No postcranial bones discovered yet. Environment: Woodlands Length and weight: Unknown as no postcranial remains have been found. Tools: None Ancestor: Possibly A. anamensis or A. afarensis Descendants: Possibly H. rudolfensis General: KNM-WT 40000 is an almost complete cranium discovered in August 1999 by J. Erus. The skull exhibits a relatively flat face and cranial capacity similar to that of australopiths, but displays many derived facial features that separate it from that group. However, there is controversy around its identification. KNM-WT 40000 is considerably distorted, which leads some paleoanthropologists to believe that the skull actually belongs to an Au. afarensis individual. Since KNM-WT 40000 is the only known Kenyanthropus individual, this makes features for the entire species hard to pinpoint. |