Australopithecus Boisei

1. Australopithecus Boisei By Susan Dang, Julia Spizzica, Siana Hewett

2. NAME Louis Leakey believed that OH 5 (Olduvai Hominid number 5) was so different from Australopithecus robustus that he named a new genus Zinjanthropus as well as a new species boisei. Later he realised that the similarities with Australopithecus robustus were close enough that it should be included within the genus Australopithecus. The differences were large enough that the species name boisei was kept. Zinj is an ancient Arabic word for the East African coast and anthropus is Greek for man. Charles Boise helped to finance the field work that led to the discoveries of Australopithecus Boisei (Zinj).

3. Who, when and where Australopithecus Boisei was discover by Mary Leakey July 17th 1959 in Olduvai Gorge in Northern Tanzania without the lower jaw. The lower jaw was found by her son Richard Leakey in 1964 at Peninj on lake Natron.

4. Who, when and where, Australopithecus Boisei was discovered (without the lower jaw ) by Mary Leakey on July 17th 1959 in Olduvai Gorge in Northern Tanzania. The lower jaw was found by her son Richard Leakey and KamoyaKimeu in 1964 at Peninj on lake Natron.

5. Habitat Australopithecus Boisei fossils have been found in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya, however they also lived in Semi-arid Savanna in locally wooded conditions. They also lived in Eastern Tropical Africa.

6. FOOD The Australopithecus Boisei had a diet in which included vegetable foods that were touch to chew. Some of the species who were in Africa eventually died out as they relied on the forests for their food.The Australopithecus specialised so that it could eat tough-to-chew but more abundant plant foods such as nuts, roots and tubers. The Australopithecus Boisei were omnivorous therefore ate foods such as nuts, seeds, tubers, fruits, leaves and some meat.

7. EXTINCTION The Australopithecus Boisei became extinct due to the changing climate. During this time, the world's climate was becoming cooler and dryer. Therefore the Australopithecus Boisei was forced to eat dry vegetation and termites. They became so adapted to their climate and food that when it changed they died out as they couldn’t cope with the adjustment. They lived between 2.3-1.1 million years ago.

8. Physical appearance The most striking feature of the Australopithecus Boisei, that sets it apart from other hominins is the massive jaw. It has the largest jaws in teeth found in any hominin group which are a similar size to the Gorilla we know today and its molars are twice the size of modern man. What do they look like?: Still quite ape like, but showing signs of human features; The A. Boisei also has the first pre-molars with two bumps (like a human) instead of the one point like other apes. Rounded dental curve with gaps missing between incisors and canines in the upper jaw Thick ridges above eyes Extremely thick enamel on all teeth Sagital crest is large but is positioned to the front of the skull. the sides of their face protrude further forward than the centre of their face

9. (Differences from predecessors:) Teeth: Postcanines increased in size Anterior teeth reduced in size these are the first apes with two bumps on the pre molar instead of the one that other great apes had (pongidae) Skull: Larger cranial capacity (500-550cc) Sagital crest is on the middle of the head instead of the back (posterior) Foramen magnum cavity has shifted forward to the centre of the base of the skull. Foramen magnum is short and heart-shaped as opposed to other apes having it oval shaped. The parts of the skull where the chewing muscles are attached are enlarged. Face more vertically set Others: 10% larger than africanus and 60% smaller than aethiopicus Instead of the ‘ape plate’ there was a highly domed plate

10. Physical adaptations The A. Boisei would have walked on two feet (bipedal). This is known from the position of the foramen magnum and the spine with should be directly under the skull. From fossil evidence the A. Boisei had a well developed parietal crest, meaning very powerful jaw muscles, had teeth flattened to grinding surfaces and had massive bones making up the face which strengthen the muscles that jaw muscles that do the ‘chewing action’. It didn’t even have Canine teeth. It is said that the diet of the A. Boisei being predominantly very hard and brittle foods such as nut and tubers and that these changes were made to adapt to eating those foods. Fossils also suggest that the anatomy and hand bones of the A. Boisei would have permitted it to manufacture tools but this is unsure as hand fossils may or may not be directly associated with the skulls. The A. Boisei would still have a very high muscle mass making up it’s body like many apes and hominins before them. This would have meant the species was less active then Homos as their muscle mass wouldn’t have allowed them to breathe when running.

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY Archaeology.info, Australopithecus boisei [Online]. Available internet: http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/australopithecusboisei.htm (Acessed April 6) Oldoway Australopithecus Boisei By Dr. SC Arthur W. (Acessed April 6) Becoming human, Paranthropusboisei essay [Online]. Available Internet: http://www.becominghuman.org/node/paranthropus-boisei-essay (Acessed April 6) Australopithecus Boisei [Online’. Available Internet: https://www.msu.edu/~robin400/boisei.html (Acessed May 1)

12. Boisei.[Online]. Available Internet: www.archaelogyinfo.com/australiopithecusboisei.htm (Accessed 5th April 2011) Boisei.[Online]. Available Internet: www.msu.edu/nrdsin400/boisei.html(Accessed 5th April 2011) Boisei.[Online]. Available Internet: www.inhandmuseum.com/LA/boisei/IHZframe.html (Accessed 5th April 2011)