Australopithecus deyiremeda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australopithecus deyiremeda |
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Australopithecus
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deyiremeda
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Australopithecus deyiremeda is an extinct hominin that lived about 3.4 million years ago. It was discovered in northern Ethiopia. This ancient relative of humans lived around the same time and in the same place as another well-known species, Australopithecus afarensis, which includes the famous fossil named Lucy.
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What is a Hominin?
A hominin is a group that includes modern humans and all our close extinct relatives. These are species that are more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees. Scientists study hominins to understand how humans evolved over millions of years.
Where Was It Found?
The discovery of Australopithecus deyiremeda happened in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. This area is about 520 kilometers (325 miles) northeast of Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa. It's also about 22 kilometers (14 miles) north of Hadar, Ethiopia, which is where "Lucy" was found.
What Did We Learn From Its Fossils?
Scientists found parts of a jaw and teeth from Australopithecus deyiremeda. These fossils give us clues about what this ancient species was like.
- Strong Jaws: The jawbones were very strong and thick. This suggests they had powerful chewing muscles.
- Small Teeth: Even with strong jaws, their teeth were smaller than other early human relatives. Their canine teeth, for example, were very tiny.
- Different Diet: The shape and size of the teeth suggest that Australopithecus deyiremeda might have eaten different foods than A. afarensis. This could mean they lived in slightly different ways.
Yohannes Haile-Selassie is a scientist who helped discover this species. He works at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. He said that his team has found over 120 early hominin fossils in the Woranso-Mille area. These fossils date back between 3.4 and 3.8 million years ago.
Many Early Human Species?
Scientists believe that Australopithecus deyiremeda might have been one of four different species of early humans living at the same time. This shows that there was a lot of diversity among our ancient relatives millions of years ago. It's like how today we have many different types of animals living in the same area.
Images for kids
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Reconstruction of BRT-VP-2/73
See also
In Spanish: Australopithecus deyiremeda para niños
