It seems likely that they lived in small social groups containing a mixture of males and females, children and adults. Stones may also have been used as tools, but there is no evidence that stones were shaped or modified in any way. It may have used simple tools that included sticks and other non-durable plant materials found in the immediate surroundings. There is no evidence for any specific cultural attributes but this probably behaved in a manner similar to other hominins living at the same time, such as Australopithecus afarensis. lack of a depression behind the brow ridge.flat face across the nasal region although still some facial prognathism.cheek teeth with thick enamel comparable to that of A.anamensis and A.afarensis.small molar teeth and small canine roots.few remains found but a toe bones shows features that suggest bipedalism.lack of skeletal remains makes it difficult to ascertain body size.similar in size to A.afarensis (approx 430 cc).More material needs to be recovered, especially a skull with no apparent distortion, in order to resolve this debate. They claim it is a Kenyan variant of Australopithecus afarensis. Many experts argue that this skull was extremely distorted and has been badly reconstructed. However, the acceptance of this new species is unresolved. If this analysis is correct then it challenges the place of Australopithecus as a direct human ancestor. The finders believe the skull shares similarities with a later species, Homo rudolfensis, including the relatively flat face and the lack of a depression behind the brow ridge – indicating it may be an ancestor of Homo. Hence the name means ‘the flat-faced man from Kenya’. The genus name Kenyanthropus means ‘man from Kenya’, whereas the species name platyops is derived from the Greek words ‘platus’ meaning ‘flat’ and ‘opsis’ meaning face. Another specimen tentatively classified into this species is a partial left upper jaw (KNM-WT 38350) discovered in 1998. 3.5 to 3.2 million years old Important fossil discoveriesįragments of a skull (KNM-WT 40000) and teeth were found in 1999 and reconstructed.
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