Lucy, the most famous ancestor of modern man, was not alone. More than 3 million years ago in Ethiopia you may have encountered other bipedal apes of a slightly different species from yours.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Lucy, the most famous ancestor of modern man, was not alone. More than 3 million years ago in Ethiopia he may have encountered other bipedal apes of a slightly different species from his own.
This is the discovery that emerges from a new study conducted in Ethiopia which led to the description of a new species of hominid, theAustralopithecus deyrimeda, which is in addition to the one to which Lucy belonged, Australopithecus afarensis.
Lo study in question has just been published on Nature and bears the title of "New species from Ethiopia further expands Middle Pliocene hominin diversity". The research was led by Yohannes Haile-Selassie, del Cleveland Natural History Museum.
In the face of other recent discoveries, this is further evidence that not one but a series of hominid species populated the East African landscape. about 3 million years ago. This could mean that different species have managed to develop by creating distinct niches for diet, foraging strategies and other behaviors.
In Ethiopia the researchers found new bone remains belonging to an upper jaw and other fragments. The discovery took place in Brutele, about a day's walk from Hadar, where Lucy was found in 1974.
Fragments of bones were dated between 3,3 and 3,5 million years ago, a period in which, as already known, Australopithecus afarensis, of the same species as Lucy, inhabited these places. The new bone remains share some characteristics with Lucy, but differ in other respects.
Some teeth have a different root structure and are smaller in general, a feature that could indicate a change in diet. According to experts, smaller teeth they are often associated with a diet richer in meat.
The differences would be rather slight, but the researchers are convinced that they are facing two different species. Now they will continue to investigate the subject and compare the new bone remains with the findings already made in the past decades. However, experts believe they can already state how in East Africa in the Middle Pliocene period there were more species of hominids.
Marta Albè
Photo source: cmnh.org
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