Location: Kenya, East Africa
Age: Pliocene/ Pleistocene (4-0 Ma)
| Name: Lake Turkana Location: Kenya, East Africa Age: Pliocene/ Pleistocene (4-0 Ma) |
|
The following is a list and brief description of the fossils found at Lake Turkana, which have had relatively important implications for the study of human evolution. Many of the fossils are fragmentary or partial, and only consist of a few isolated bones. The list is organised by the age of the fossil, from oldest to youngest. Each fossil has its own unique specimen number, which scientists use to easily classify the fossil and indicate at what site it was found. Specimen codes for Lake Turkana can be abbreviated in the following way:
ER East
Rudolf, Kenya
WT West
Turkana, Kenya
KP Kanapoi,
Kenya
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger, more
detailed image!
KP 29281 – Australopithecus anamensis
Discovered: 1994 by Peter Nzube
Location: Kanapoi
Age: ~ 4.0 million years old
Description: Complete lower jaw with all the
dentition.
Further Reading: (Leakey et al., 1995)
KP 29285 – Australopithecus anamensis
Discovered: 1994 by Kamoya Kimeu
Location: Kanapoi
Age: ~ 4.1 million years old
Description: Tibia, with middle part of the bone
missing.
Scientific
Implications: Has provided
some of the earliest known evidence of bipedalism.
Further Reading: (Leakey et
al., 1995)
Discovered: 1999 by Justus Erus
Location: Lomekwi, West Turkana
Age: ~ 3.5 million years old
Description: Heavily fragmented cranium. Braincase capacity
similar to australopithecines (~400cc). Large flat face, and small dentition.
Scientific
Implications: Similar to
KNM-ER 1470 fossil. Confusing for
scientists as fossils are ~ 2.5 million years apart in geological age.
Further Reading: (Leakey et
al., 2001)
KNM-WT 17000 – Australopithecus aethiopicus
Discovered: 1985 by Alan Walker
Location: nr West Turkana
Age: ~ 2.5 million years old
Description: Almost complete cranium. Very robust. Braincase capacity is ~ 410cc (v. small).
Specimen
has mixture of very primitive (ape-like) and advanced (hominid) features.
Scientific Implications: Very controversial specimen – did not
fit any phylogenetic picture.
KNM-ER 406 – Australopithecus boisei
Discovered: 1969 by Richard Leakey
Location: Koobi Fora
Age: ~1.7 million years old
Description: Complete highly robust cranium, only dentition absent. Braincase capacity is ~510cc (relatively small)
Scientific Implications: Occurrence at Koobi Fora with non-robust, relatively large-brained specimen (KNM-ER 3733) disproved single species hypothesis for that period of time (approx. 2 mya).
Further Reading: (Leakey
& Walker, 1976)
KNM-ER 732 – Australopithecus boisei
Discovered: 1970 by
Richard Leakey
Location: near Lake Turkana
Age: ~ 1.7 million years old
Description: Very fragmented cranium. Braincase capacity is ~500cc.
Robust specimen but
lacks a sagittal crest.
Scientific Implications: Could be an example of sexual dimorphism. This fossil is sometimes referred to as Paranthropus boisei
