What is the significance of Homo floresiensis for the understanding of processes of global human evolution?

History of Discovery: The skeleton’s unique traits such as its small body and brain size led scientists to assign the skeleton to a new species, Homo floresiensis, named after the island on which it was discovered. Since the initial find, bones and teeth representing as many as 12 H.

Is Paranthropus an ancestor of Homo?

Paranthropus robustus lived in the Cradle of Humankind from about 2.5-million to 1-million years ago. It had huge jaws for chewing tough vegetation like roots and tubers. It was not a direct ancestor of humankind, but an ancient cousin.

What is one of the most surprising aspects of the recent discovery of H floresiensis?

What is one of the most surprising aspects of the recent discovery of H. floresiensis? The suggestion of sophisticated cultural abilities typically associated with anatomically modern humans rather than with a hominin with a chimplike brain.

When was Paranthropus boisei found?

1959
The well-preserved cranium of Paranthropus boisei was first discovered by Mary Leakey in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania in 1959. It was given the nick-name ‘Nutcracker Man’ because of its large flat cheek teeth and thick enamel.

Who discovered Paranthropus boisei?

Mary Leaky
Paranthropus boisei was first discovered by Mary Leaky in 1959, and was first termed Zinjanthropus boisei or Zinj. The oldest Paranthropus boisei was found at Omo, Ethiopia and dates to approximately 2.3 million years ago, while the youngest was found at Olduvai Gorge, and dates to approximately 1.2 million years ago.

Where were Paranthropus boisei found?

Fossils of both Paranthropus walkeri and the more recent species Paranthropus boisei have been found in the countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in east Africa. Fossils of Paranthropus robustus have been excavated from South Africa, including over 100 specimens from the limestone cave of Swartkrans.

What did Paranthropus boisei do?

This species was nicknamed Nutcracker Man for its big teeth and strong chewing muscles, which attached to the large crest on the skull. Those features show that Paranthropus boisei likely ate tough foods like roots and nuts.

Why is Paranthropus boisei important?

boisei is important because it exemplifies the genus Paranthropus, a group of species with extreme features of the skull not found in other species. The premolars and molars of this species are very large (especially in width) with extremely thick enamel and the front teeth are very small.

What did Paranthropus boisei evolve from?

Evolutionary Tree Information: P. boisei is usually thought to descend from earlier P. aethiopicus (who inhabited the same geographic area just a few hundred thousand years before) and lived alongside several other species of early humans during its 1.1 million year existence.

Who found the Paranthropus boisei?

archaeologist Mary Leakey
Reconstructed replica of “Nutcracker Man,” a 1.75-million-year-old Paranthropus boisei skull found in 1959 by archaeologist Mary Leakey at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.