2002/01/17 by Zeresenay Alemseged, Yves Coppens, Denis Geraads · 4 citations
Social Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Psychology · #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Primate Behavior and Ecology
paper · doi:10.1002/ajpa.10032
openalex publication_date 2002/01/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Omo-323-1976-896, a partial hominid cranium dated to ca. 2.1 from the Member G, Unit G-8 of the Shungura Formation, lower Omo Basin of Ethiopia, is described. It is suggested that the specimen is an adult male based on the well-developed and completely fused sagittal crest; heavily worn teeth; relatively large canine; and size of the articular eminence. Omo-323 consists of fragments of the frontal, both temporals, occipital, parietals, and the right maxilla, and is attributed to Australopithecus boisei, making it the oldest known cranium of this species. The specimen shares features with Australopithecus aethiopicus (KNM-WT 17000), thus supporting the existence of an evolving East African robust lineage between ca. 2.6-1.2 Ma. The morphology of Omo-323 increases our knowledge of the intraspecific variability of A.boisei.