Ardipithecus

genus of hominines
(Redirected from Ardipithecus ramidus)

Ardipithecus is a very early hominid genus, which lived during the late Neogene.

Ardipithecus
Temporal range: Pliocene
Ardipithecus ramidus skull
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:
Ardipithecus

White et al., 1995
Species

Ardipithecus kadabba
Ardipithecus ramidus

Two species are known: A. kadabba, dated to about 5.6 million years ago (late Miocene),[1] and A. ramidus, which lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene.[2]

Because this genus shares several traits with the African great ape genera (Pan and Gorilla), some place it on the that branch rather than human branch.

Most consider it a proto-human because of a likeness in teeth with Australopithecus. Ardipithecus had bipedalism and reduced canines, like the Australopithecines.

Related pages change

References change

  1. White, Tim D. (2009). "Ardipithecus ramidus and the paleobiology of early hominids". Science. 326 (5949): 75–86. doi:10.1126/science.1175802. PMID 19810190. S2CID 20189444.
  2. Perlman, David. "Fossils from Ethiopia may be earliest human ancestor". National Geographic News. Retrieved 1 July 2009.