Pre-australopithecines
Ardipithecus kadabba
5.8–5.2 Ma·600 ka·Discovered 2001
Description
Known from teeth, jawbones, and foot bones. Probable direct ancestor of Ardipithecus ramidus.
Notable facts
- Had relatively large canines
- Capable of walking upright but still climbed
- Lived in wooded habitats
- Bridges Orrorin and Ar. ramidus
Key specimens
ALA-VP-2/10
Mandible and teeth
Type specimen showing primitive dental features.
Anatomy
Slightly projecting canines, thinner enamel than later hominins, mosaic postcranium.
Locomotion
Facultative bipedal, with grasping foot for climbing.
Diet
Mainly plants from forested environments.
Where to see it
National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.
Media & references
Image ·
Wikimedia Commons · Wikipedia article
Haile-Selassie (2001). Late Miocene hominids from the Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Nature.
doi: 10.1038/35084063 ↗