Anthropology

Paranthropus Group

Paranthropus robustus

1.5 MYA. DNH 7 was discovered by A. Kevsers team in 1995 at the Drimolen site in South Africa. ONe of the most complete hominin skulls found from this time, the cranium and mandible of this presumed female are also the first from a single individual of this taxon and may provide evidence of this species being monosexually dimorphic than was previously thought. Distortion present in the original fossil has been corrected under strict scientific supervision.

BH-003-C. SK-48

1.5 to 2 MYA This skull was discovered by Fourie in 1950 in Swartkrans, South Africa. SK-48, formerly called paranthropus crassidens, greatly increased what is known about australopithecines. The sagittal crest, large zygomatic arches, relatively small front teeth, and large grinding teeth suggest a robust australopithecine.

Paranthropus boisei

BH-015-C. OH 5 Zinjanthropus

1.8 MYA. The Australopithecus boisei skull is the most famous fossil from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. OH 5 was discovered by Mary Leakey in 1959 and originally classified as Zinjanthropus boisei by L. Leakey in Nature later that year. The accepted genus name has since changed to Australopithecus, this fossil is also known by the genus name Paranthropus. This discovery spurred paleoanthropology toward a modern, multidisciplinary approach, and focused paleoanthropologists' attention on East Africa. Unique in hominid evolution, A. boisei's massive skull features a wide, concave face, enormous, flat molars (about 4 times as big as modern H. sapiens) and cranial adaptations for powerful chewing, hence its nickname, Nutcracker Man. Note the sagittal crest and extremely large area for muscle attachments on the zygomatic arch. The thick jaw allowed for the species' exceptional chewing capabilities. Cranial capacity of this individual is 530 cc.

Paranthropus aethiopicus

BH-008. Black Skull

2.5 MYA. KNM-WT 17,000 was discovered by A.Walker in 1985 at Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. Its common name is a reference to its blue-black color. Although not considered on a direct line to humans, it gives insights into early hominid evolution. As it appears to fall between A. afarensis and A. boisei, it was given its own species name.