What do the Laetoli Tanzania footprints reveal about Australopithecus afarensis?
The shape of the feet, along with the length and configuration of the toes, show that the Laetoli Footprints were made by an early human, and the only known early human in the region at that time was Au. afarensis. In fact, fossils of Au.
What is the significance of the Laetoli footprints?
The Laetoli footprints provide a clear snapshot of an early hominin bipedal gait that probably involved a limb posture that was slightly but significantly different from our own, and these data support the hypothesis that important evolutionary changes to hominin bipedalism occurred within the past 3.66 Myr.
Which species is associated with the Laetoli footprints?
Laetoli is a well-known palaeontological locality in northern Tanzania whose outstanding record includes the earliest hominin footprints in the world (3.66 million years old), discovered in 1978 at Site G and attributed to Australopithecus afarensis.
Who discovered the footprints of Australopithecus afarensis?
Mary Leakey
In 1978, two years after the first animal prints were uncovered, palaeoanthropologist Mary Leakey excavated a 27-metre-long trail made by hominins, consisting of about 70 footprints. They were attributed to Au. afarensis, to this day the most likely candidate as only this species has been found at Laetoli.
What information could be determined from the famous Australopithecus footprints found at Laetoli?
What information could be determined from the famous Australopithecus footprints found at Laetoli? The creatures that made the footprints were bipedal. Scientists on a dig have discovered a 2.5-million-year-old hominin fossil in Tanzania.
What are the Laetoli footprints quizlet?
The Laetoli footprints were most likely made by Australopithecus afarensis, an early human whose fossils were found in the same sediment layer. The entire footprint trail is almost 27 m (88 ft) long and includes impressions of about 70 early human footprints.
What do the teeth and jaws of Australopithecus afarensis suggest about its diet?
What do the teeth and jaws of Australopithecus afarensis suggest about its diet? The large back teeth and thick lower jaw (mandible) suggest the ability to chew and process hard, brittle foods. Which dating technique was used to establish that the age of the volcanic ash at the Laetoli site was 3.6 million years old?
What did the Laetoli footprints have that demonstrated that the foot of Australopithecus afarensis was humanlike?
The Laetoli footprints demonstrate that the foot of Australopithecus afarensis was humanlike in having: a rounded heel.
Which species is associated with the Laetoli footprints quizlet?
The Laetoli footprints were most likely made by Australopithecus afarensis, an early human whose fossils were found in the same sediment layer.
What did the Australopithecus afarensis eat?
Au. afarensis had mainly a plant-based diet, including leaves, fruit, seeds, roots, nuts, and insects… and probably the occasional small vertebrates, like lizards.
When were the Australopithecus found?
The earliest member of the genus Australopithecus is Au. anamensis, which was discovered in northern Kenya near Lake Turkana at Kanapoi and Allia Bay. The species was first described in 1995 after an analysis of isolated teeth, upper and lower jaws, fragments of a cranium, and a tibia unearthed at the discovery sites.
What does the IM index of the Australopithecus afarensis fossil suggest?
Lucy’s intermembral index is 8811. Thus, Lucy appears to have an intermediate measurement between modern humans and chimpanzees. Measurements of the individual bones in the index show that Lucy’s intermediate body proportions are a result of a shortened humerus.