Discovery of Our Distant Ancestor Fossil Reveals They Were Only a ‘Meter Tall’, Easily Preyed Upon by Leopards
Humans have traversed a long path to reach their present state. There were multiple ancestors and relatives with distinct features who underwent a myriad of changes in the human evolution trajectory. Fossils of one of these species were uncovered in South Africa, stated Daily Galaxy. Findings regarding these remains were published in the Journal of Human Evolution.
The remnants belonged to Paranthropus robustus and were spotted in Swartkrans Cave, a site between Johannesburg and Pretoria. This species has been identified as human relatives who lived in the terrains of South Africa along with Homo ergaster, stated Earth. During the excavation, researchers uncovered a tibia bone, femur, and left hip bone, which were later identified to be of P. robustus. Examinations revealed that the fossils were two million years old. "Paranthropus robustus wasn’t our direct ancestor, but, instead, was a very closely related contemporary (a ‘cousin,’ if you will) of Homo ergaster, a species that we do think was our direct ancestor," Travis Pickering, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison explained, stated Discovery Magazine. "More generally, it’s important to understand the range of diversity represented in the whole human family in order to truly appreciate how we are connected to the rest of the natural world and that we are also subject to the same forces that have shaped other lifeforms."
The discovery surprised researchers, as they were shocked to uncover such old specimens from a cave experiencing multiple natural processes. "A find like this, in this context — that is, millions of years old and from a cave, which is extremely dynamic in terms of things like the build-up sediment, rockfall from the roof, the activities of prehistoric animals that dwelled in it, including eating and chewing bone — is as rare as finding hen’s teeth," Pickering said. "I couldn’t be happier."
Researchers noted that the creature was much shorter than what they previously thought, measuring around one metre, Daily Galaxy stated. This feature made the species stand apart from other human ancestors. "It is estimated that this individual, probably a female, was only about a meter tall (3.3 feet) and 27 kg (60 pounds) when it died, making it even smaller than adults from other diminutive early human species, including those represented by the famous 'Lucy' (Australopithecus afarensis; about 3.2 million years old) and 'Hobbit' (Homo floresiensis; about 90,000 years old) skeletons, from Ethiopia and Indonesia, respectively," Professor Pickering shared, stated Earth.
The team observed certain marks on these fossilized bones. They were later identified as consequences of tooth marks and chewing damage, possibly facilitated by leopards. This made the team speculate that the female P. robustus died after being attacked by a leopard. "The observation detailed in the bones suggests that the individual in question likely served as a meal for a leopard," researchers stated, stated Daily Galaxy.
Researchers claim that though this species was vulnerable to predators like leopards, their features gave them certain advantages to survive in their habitats. "Although it seems that this particular Paranthropus robustus individual was the unfortunate victim of predation, that conclusion does not mean that the entire species was inept," Pickering said, stated Earth. The team found some tools near the fossils, which indicate that this species used them to make food and conduct other daily life activities. This resourcefulness implies that they were more intellectual than previously believed. Analysis revealed that they mostly ate plant matter, which was suitable for their jaws and teeth. Analysis also unveiled that this group walked in an upright manner.