Abstract
A new partial skeleton of an adult hominid from lower Bed I (about 1.8 Myr ago), Olduvai Gorge, is described. This specimen's craniodental anatomy indicates attribution to Homo habilis, but its postcranial anatomy, including small body size and relatively long arms, is strikingly similar to that of some early Australopithecus individuals.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
£199.00 per year
only £3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
1. Leakey, L. S. B. Nature 184, 491–493 (1959). 2. Leakey, L. S. B., Tobias, P. V. & Napier, J. R. Nature 202, 7–9 (1964). 3. Tobias, P. V. The Cranium and Maxillary Dentition of Australopithecus (Zinjanthropus) boisei, Olduvai Gorge Volume 2 (Cambridge University Press, 1967). 4. Hay, R. L. Geology of the Olduvai Gorge (University of California Press, Berkeley, 1976). 5. Curtis, G. H. & Hay, R. L. in Calibration of Hominoid Evolution (eds Bishop, W. W. & Miller, J. A.) 289–301 (Scottish Academic, Edinburgh, 1972). 6. Steiger, R. H. & Jager, E. Earth planet, Sci. Lett. 36, 359–362 (1977). 7. Hughes, A. R. & Tobias, P. V. Nature 256, 310–312 (1977). 8. Tobias, P. V. Z. Morph. Anthrop. 69, 225–265 (1978) 9. Clarke, R. J. thesis, Univ. Witwatersrand (1977). 10. Rak, Y. The Australopithecine Face (Academic, New York, 1983). 11. Johanson, D. C. et al Am. J. Phys. Anthrop. 57, 403–452. (1982). 12. Robinson, J. T. Nature 205, 121–124 (1965). 13. Robinson, J. T. in Evolutionary Biology Vol. 1 (eds Dobzhansky, T., Hecht, M. K. & Steere, W. C.) 69–100 (Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1967). 14. Brace, C. L., Mahler, P. E. & Rosen, R. B. Yearb. Phys. Anthrop. 16, 50–68 (1973). 15. Wood, B. A. in Recent Advances in Primatology Vol. 3 (eds Chivers, D. J. & Joysey, K. A.) 351–372 (Academic, London, 1978). 16. Walker, A. C. & Leakey, R. E. Sci. Am. 239, 54–66 (1978). 17. Wood, B. A. in Ancestors: The Hard Evidence (ed. Delson, E.) 206–214 (Liss, New York, 1985). 18. Stringer, C. B. in Major Topics in Primate and Human Evolution (eds Wood, B. A., Martin, L. & Andrews, P.) 266–294 (Cambridge University Press, 1986). 19. Tobias, P. V. Can. J. Anthrop. 3, 163–185 (1983). 20. Johanson, D. C. & White, T. D. Science 203, 321–330 (1979). 21. Kimbel, W. H., White, T. D. & Johanson, D. C. Am. J. Phys. Anthrop. 64, 337–388 (1984). 22. Skelton, R. R., McHenry, H. M. & Drawhorn, G. M. Curr. Anthrop. 27, 21–43 (1986). 23. Howell, F. C. in Evolution of African Mammals (eds Maglio, V. M. & Cooke, H. B. S.) 154–258 (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978). 24. Wolpoff, M. H. Paleoanthropology (Knopf, New York, 1980). 25. Pilbeam, D. R. Sci. Am. 250, 84–97 (1984). 26. Susman, R. L. & Stern, J. T. Science 217, 931–934 (1982). 27. Stern, J. T. & Susman, R. L. Am. J. Phys. Anthrop. 60, 279–317 (1983). 28. Wood, B. A. /. hum. Evol. 3, 373–378 (1974). 29. Lewis, O. J. / Anat. 131, 275–298 (1980). 30. Brown, R, Harris, J. Leakey, R. & Walker, A. Nature 316, 788–792 (1985). 31. McHenry, H. M. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 64, 297–306 (1984). 32. Cronin, J. E., Boaz, N. T., Stringer, C. B. & Rak, Y. Nature 292, 113–122 (1981). 33. Holloway, R. L. Hum. Neurobiol. 2, 105–114 (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johanson, D., Masao, F., Eck, G. et al. New partial skeleton of Homo habilis from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Nature 327, 205–209 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/327205a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/327205a0
This article is cited by
-
Dental morphology in Homo habilis and its implications for the evolution of early Homo
Nature Communications (2024)
-
Perimortem fractures in Lucy suggest mortality from fall out of tall tree
Nature (2016)