Ardipithecus kadabba
Early hominid species, probable ancestor of Ardipithecus ramidus.
Ardipithecus kadabba is a species of early hominid known from fossil remains discovered in Ethiopia, originally estimated to be 5.8 to 5.2 million years old and later revised to 5.77 to 5.54 million years old. It is considered a probable chronospecies (ancestor) of Ardipithecus ramidus and is close to the common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans, which are estimated to have diverged 5.5–6.3 million years ago. The species name comes from the Afar word for 'basal family ancestor.'
- field
- Paleoanthropology
- known_for
- Early hominid species, probable ancestor of Ardipithecus ramidus
- lived
- 5.77 to 5.54 million years ago (revised from 5.8 to 5.2 million years ago)
- discovered_by
- Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Gen Suwa, Tim D. White
- location
- Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Lore & Background
Fossil remains of Ardipithecus kadabba were first described in 2001 by Ethiopian paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie, based on bones collected from five localities in the Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Initially classified as a subspecies of Ardipithecus ramidus (Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba), it was elevated to species level in 2004 by Haile-Selassie, Gen Suwa, and Tim D. White, based on newly discovered teeth from Ethiopia that showed 'primitive morphology and wear pattern,' distinguishing it from A. ramidus. The holotype specimen, ALA-VP-2/10, is a right lower jaw fragment with a third molar discovered in December 1997, along with associated teeth collected in 1999.
Reader's Guide
Ardipithecus kadabba is significant as a probable chronospecies (ancestor) of Ardipithecus ramidus, placing it near the common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans. Its fossils, known only from teeth and bits and pieces of skeletal bones, show primitive features that link it to the genera Sahelanthropus and Orrorin. The species lived in a habitat of forests, wooded savannas, and open water areas. The loss of a reduced 'honing' complex in its successor species, A. ramidus, has been used to trace the line of development leading to australopithecines and the genus Homo. However, some researchers, such as Bernard Wood and Nicholas Lonerga in 2008, noted that the larger ape-like canines of A. kadabba cast doubt on its assignment to the human line, though the discoverers and colleagues reaffirmed its position near humans. The species thus represents a key but debated step in early hominid evolution.
Did You Know?
- The species name 'kadabba' comes from the Afar word for 'basal family ancestor.'
- Originally classified as a subspecies of Ardipithecus ramidus, it was elevated to species level in 2004 based on newly discovered teeth from Ethiopia.
- The holotype specimen, ALA-VP-2/10, is a right lower jaw fragment with a third molar discovered in December 1997.
- A. kadabba lived in a habitat that consisted of forests, wooded savannas, and open water areas.
More in Extinct Hominins 1-19
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