Full Answer
White and his colleagues gave their discovery the name Ardipithecus ramidus (‘ramid’ means ‘root’ in the Afar language of Ethiopia and refers to the closeness of this new species to the roots of humanity, while ‘Ardi’ means ‘ground’ or ‘floor’).
Over 100 specimens of Ardipithecus ramidushave been recovered in Ethiopia. Even though it has some ape-like features (as do many other early human species), it also has key human features including smaller diamond-shaped canines and some evidence of upright walking.
At the time of this discovery, the genus Australopithecuswas scientifically well established, so White devised the genus name Ardipithecusto distinguish this new genus from Australopithecus. In 2009, scientists formally announced and published the findings of a partial skeleton (ARA-VP-6/500), nicknamed "Ardi", first found in 1994.
Even though it has some ape-like features (as do many other early human species), it also has key human features including smaller diamond-shaped canines and some evidence of upright walking. It may have descended from an earlier species of Ardipithecus that has been found in the same area of Ethiopia, Ardipithecus kadabba.
Ardipithecus lived between 5.8 million and 4.4 million years ago, from late in the Miocene Epoch (23 million to 5.3 million years ago) to the early to middle Pliocene Epoch (5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago). The genus contains two known species, Ar. ramidus and Ar. kadabba.
1992 and 1994A team led by American paleoanthropologist Tim White discovered the first Ardipithecus ramidus fossils in the Middle Awash area of Ethiopia between 1992 and 1994. Since that time, White's team have uncovered over 100 fossil specimens of Ar. ramidus .
"Ardi" fossils from Ethiopia are 4.4 million years old. Oct. 1, 2009 — -- Scientists today told the world what they know about Ardipithecus ramidus -- "Ardi" for short -- the oldest pre-human species yet found. Ardi lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.
Ardipithecus ramidus, nicknamed in 1994 'Ardi' (meaning 'ground' or 'root'), lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene. The fossil find was dated on the basis of its stratigraphic position between two volcanic strata.
Middle Awash regionThe Ardipithecus ramidus fossils were discovered in Ethiopia's harsh Afar desert at a site called Aramis in the Middle Awash region, just 46 miles (74 kilometers) from where Lucy's species, Australopithecus afarensis, was found in 1974.
However, because the "Ardi" skeleton is no more than 200,000 years older than the earliest fossils of Australopithecus, and may in fact be younger than they are, some researchers doubt that it can represent a direct ancestor of Australopithecus.
between 3.7 and three million years agoWhen did Australopithecus afarensis live? According to the fossils recovered to date, Au. afarensis lived between 3.7 and three million years ago. This means the species survived for at least 700,000 years, more than twice as long as our own species, Homo sapiens, has been around.
The Pliocene (4.4 Ma) hominoid species Ardipithecus ramidus has been linked phylogenetically to the Australopithecus + Homo clade by nonhoning canines, a short basicranium, and postcranial features related to bipedality.
November, 1924Raymond Dart discovered the first australopithecine in November, 1924. The fossil was found at a lime quarry at Taung, southwest of Johannesburg, and was of an immature apelike individual.
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct species of australopithecine which lived from about 3.9–2.9 million years ago (mya) in the Pliocene of East Africa. The first fossils were discovered in the 1930s, but major fossil finds would not take place until the 1970s.
In 1994, Ardipithecus ramidus (ca. 4.4 Ma) was announced (White et al. 1994, 1995, WoldeGabriel et al. 1994) and soon after, even older hominins were discovered: Orrorin tugenensis (6.0-5.7 Ma, Pickford & Senut 2001, Senut et al.
Ardipithecus ramidus, nicknamed in 1994 'Ardi' (meaning 'ground' or 'root'), lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene. The fossil find was dated on the basis of its stratigraphic position between two volcanic strata. [White, Tim D. et al. 2009].
However, scientists claim that other features of its skeleton reflect adaptation to bipedalism. Like later hominins, Ardipithecus had reduce canine teeth.
Between 1999 and 2003 a multidisciplinary team led by Sileshi Semaw discovered bones and teeth of nine Ardipithecus ramidus individuals at As Duma in the Gona Western Margin of Ethiopia's Afar region.