A decennary after the discovery of two astonishingly well - preserved fossils of a coinage linking homo to apes , a special issue of the journalPaleoAnthropologyhas been dedicated to all we have learned about these specimen . The papers confirmAustralopithecus sediba(Au . sediba ) really was a distinct coinage and reinforce how unknown and complex human evolution was .
Au . sedibawas found at Malapa , South Africa , byProfessor Lee Bergerof the University of Witwatersrand . At 1.977 million years old the span could be dated outstandingly precisely for such quondam fogy . The discovery dispute the eyeshot that east African fogey such asLucyrepresented human beings ’s direct antecedent . Berger ’s subsequent discovery ofHomo naledi , another southern African species whose place in the human phratry tree has also been strong to identify , has confused thing further .
Anoverview paperargues that even thoughAu . sedibaprobably overlap in metre and place withAu . africanusand the first extremity of our ownHomogenus , it was neither . Instead , Au . sedibahas certain characteristic in common with each of its fellow early hominin , suggesting this may be the long - search breakaway from which the firstHomosprang .
On the other hand , some scientists have questioned whether differences in the vertebrae of the two reconstructed Malapa fogy make them freestanding metal money ( some other clappers from the same internet site have yet to be allocated ) . Co - editorDr Scott Williamsof New York University state confidence in astatement . “ The differences in these vertebra can merely be attributed to their developmental age differences : the adolescent individual ’s vertebrae have not yet dispatch growth , whereas the adult ’s vertebra outgrowth is staring . ”
The kinship to us is more tricky . “ Our findings dispute a traditional , analogue view of evolution , ” allege atomic number 27 - editor in chief Dartmouth College’sDr Jeremy deSilva . “ It was once thought that a fossil species a million years younger than Lucy would for certain look more human being - like . For some anatomies ofAustralopithecus sediba , like the genu , that is on-key . But , for others , like the foot , it is not . ”
Six of the papers rivet on specific organic structure theatrical role , namely the skull , upper , limb , hand , pelvis , and lower limbs . Each offer insight intoAu . sediba ’s lifestyle . Like Lucy , Au . sediba ’s skeleton indicate it was used to walking upright , but still pass clock time in the trees , mayhap to escape piranha , or because yield was still a big part of its dieting . The hands were like no other mintage we have seen , with the firm grip well - suited to climb , but a capacity for precise manipulation .
The final papers continue body size and proportion , suggesting each of the specimen we have weigh around 35 kilograms ( 77 Egyptian pound ) , with acomputer animationreconstructing how we thinkAu . sedibawalked .
