Australopithecus anamensis


Australopithecus anamensis
Australopithecus anamensis was discovered in 1994 by Meave Leakey at the sites of Allia Bay and Kanapoi, both East African sites in Northern Kenya. The anamensis fossils include upper and lower jaws, cranial fragments, and the upper and lower parts of a leg bone (tibia). In addition to these listed, there also exists a fragment of humerus that was found some 30 years ago at Kanapoi, yet remained improperly identified until the Leakey's recent work. Dated specimens of A. anamensis are generally recognized as falling between 3.9 and 4.2 million years old.

The Fossils:

From Allia Bay, Kenya
	(All finds at Allia Bay are credited to "excavators")
	KNM-ER 30731 Rc ~Found in 1995 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 30744 Worn LP4 ~1996 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 30745 L Maxilla ~1996 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 30750 Rc ~1996 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35228 RP4 ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35231 RM1 or M2 ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35232 LM1 ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35233 LM2 With Roots ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35235 RM2 ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35236 LM3 ~1997 at Allia Bay

	KNM-ER 35238 RM1 ~1997 at Allia Bay

From Kanapoi, Kenya

	KNM-KP 271 Kanapoi Hominid (Humerus Fragment) ~Found by Bryan Patterson in 1965 at Kanapoi, Kenya ~Dated to 4.0 millions years

	KNM-KP 29281 Mandible with Dentition ~Found by P. Nzube in 1994 at Kanapoi, Kenya ~Dated to 4.15 million years ~This specimen is the holotype for A. anamensis

	KNM-KP 29283 Worn Ll2 ~Found in 1997 by M. Leakey at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 29285 Tibia ~Found by Kamoya Kimeu in 1994 at Kanapoi in Kenya ~Dated to 4.0 million years

	KNM-KP 29287 Mandible ~Found at Kanapoi in 1994/95 by S. Ngui ~Dated to between 4.17 and 4.12 million years

	KNM-KP 30498 Maxilla Fragments ~Discovered in 1995 by K. Cheboi at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 30500 Mandible Fragments ~Discovered in 1995 by W. Mangao at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 30503 Proximal Phalanx ~In 1995 by P. Nzube at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31712 Mandible Fragments ~From Kanapoi, by W. Mangao in 1996

	KNM-KP 31713 Mandible ~From Kanapoi, by P. Nzube in 1996

	KNM-KP 31714 Weathered Ldm2 ~Found in 1996 at Kanapoi by P. Nzube

	KNM-KP 31717 LM3, RM3, and Fragment LM2 ~By W. Mangao in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31718 Mandible Fragments ~By L. Moru in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31723 Worn RM3 ~By F. Shrenk in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31724 L Capitate ~By P. Nzube in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31726 LP4 ~By K. Kimeu in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31727 Partial Rc With Root ~By W. Mangao in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31728 LM1 ~By W. Mangao in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31729 Rdm2 With Roots ~By N. Ewalan in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 31730 L Broken and Weathered M2 With Roots ~By M. Muoka in 1996 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 34725 Lower First Deciduous Molar ~Found at Kanapoi by P. Nzube in 1996/97

	KNM-KP 35839 Ll1 with Root, Rc Crown and Partial root, and Broken LP3 ~By P. Kapoko and W. Mangao in 1997 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 35842 RM1 or M2 ~By W. Mangao in 1997 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 35843 Unerupted Ldi2 ~By site workers in 1997 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 35847 LM2 and Small Tooth Fragment ~By W. Mangao in 1997 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 35852 Worn Lc ~By M. Eregai in 1997 at Kanapoi

	KNM-KP 35858 Broken RM3 ~By W. Mutwiwa in 1997 at Kanapoi


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A. ramidus ~ A. anamensis ~ A. afarensis ~ A. africanus ~ A. gahri ~ A. bahrelghazali ~ P. boisei ~ P. aethiopicus ~ P. robustus ~ H. habilis ~ H. rudolfensis ~ H. erectus ~ H. ergaster ~ H. antecessor ~ H. heidelbergensis ~ H. neanderthalensis ~ H. sapiens
Southern Africa ~ Eastern Africa ~ North Central Africa ~ Asia ~ Europe/Northwestern Africa

Steven Heslip ~ 2001 ~ heslipst@msu.edu