Ardipithecus ramidus

views updated Jun 11 2018

Ardipithecus ramidus The earliest known member of the human lineage, discovered in 1993 by Tim White, Gen Suwa, and Berhane Asfaw at Aramis, Ethiopia, and dated to 4.4 million years BP. The canine teeth are somewhat reduced from the primitive ape-like condition, but not so much as in Australopithecus (australopithecines); the enamel on the teeth is thin; the deciduous molars are intermediate between those of a human and a chimpanzee. The postcranial skeleton indicates that it was, at least to some degree, bipedal.

Ardipithecus ramidus

views updated May 08 2018

Ardipithecus ramidus The earliest known member of the human lineage, discovered in 1993 by Tim White, Gen Suwa, and Berhane Asfaw at Aramis, Ethiopia, and dated to 4.4 million years BP. The canine teeth are somewhat reduced from the primitive ape-like condition, but not so much as in Australopithecus; the enamel on the teeth is thin; the deciduous molars are intermediate between those of a human and a chimpanzee. The postcranial skeleton indicates that it was, at least to some degree, bipedal.

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Ardipithecus ramidus

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