Pre-australopithecines
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
"Toumaï"
7–6 Ma·1.00 Ma·Discovered 2001
Description
The oldest known hominin. The TM 266 cranium has a centered foramen magnum suggesting early bipedalism, although the genus assignment remains debated.
Notable facts
- Discovered by the team led by Michel Brunet
- The name means "hope of life" in the local Daza language
- Lived near a vast lake in what is now the Sahara desert
- Roughly contemporary with the human-chimpanzee split
Key specimens
TM 266-01-060-1
Toumaï cranium
Nearly complete cranium found in 2001 by Ahounta Djimdoumalbaye in Toros-Menalla, Chad. The centered foramen magnum hints at bipedalism.
Anatomy
Small brain (~350 cc), reduced canines, thick brow ridge, centered foramen magnum.
Locomotion
Probably facultative bipedal — the skull suggests upright posture, but no postcranial confirmation.
Diet
Mixed: fruits, leaves, seeds, possibly tubers, based on dental enamel.
Where to see it
Centre National d'Appui à la Recherche, N'Djamena, Chad.
Media & references
Image ·
Wikimedia Commons · Wikipedia article
Brunet et al. (2002). A new hominid from the Upper Miocene of Chad, Central Africa. Nature.
doi: 10.1038/nature00879 ↗