Also known as Australopithecus aethiopicus
Sites: Kenya, West side of Lake Turkana, Omo River basin in southern Ethiopia Age: 2.7 - 1.9 mya Type specimen: WT 17000 ("Black skull") Specimens: Omo 18-18, WT 17000, KNM-WT 17000 Cranial capacity: 410 cm3 Cranial architecture: Similar to A. afarensis:
Dentition: Large palate. Larger anterior and posterior teeth. Thick molar enamel. Parallel tooth rows converging in the back of the mouth. Postcranial: Only fragments of crania and teeth have been discovered. Environment: Dry savanna Length and weight: Not known. Tools: None Ancestor: A. afarensis Descendants: None General: Unique cranial and dental traits are an adaptation to environment changing from forest to dry savanna. A "new" diet required prolonged and powerful mastication. |