PARANTHROPUS: DISCOVERY, CHARACTERISTICS, SKULL - BIOLOGY - 2025

characteristics

The species of the genus Paranthropus were characterized by having reduced incisor and canine teeth; the molars and premolars were quite developed, robust and covered by a fairly thick layer of enamel.

The face was concave and quite high, with deep jaws, adapted for a powerful type of chewing. Additionally, the musculature of the face had chewing muscles that projected anteriorly, or forwards, the peripheral areas of the face.

They had strong and developed temporal muscles, embedded in a pronounced sagittal ridge. The cheekbones were advanced and the nostrils were not visible.

Most of the species measured between 1.3 and 1.4 meters. They had a robust and muscular build. It is presumed that its locomotion was bipedal, with short arms and legs longer than the arms.

The fingers of the hand have plesiomorphic characteristics (ancestral or ancient), with robust and curved phalanges. Even so, it is believed that they had good manual control and were able to exert a powerful grip.

Ethology

There is much debate about social behavior and the ability to use tools by species of the genus Paranthropus. Some scientists think that at least the P. robustus species had morphological adaptations that allowed it to use and build tools, however they are hypothetical conjectures. It is ruled out that they could have used language or controlled the fire.

Cranial capacity

The Paranthropus had a brain smaller than that present in the genus Homo, but larger than that of species of the genus Australopithecus. On average they had a cranial capacity of about 550 cubic centimeters. The data are variable between species and differences can be found between young and adult individuals.

Skull with jaw of Paranthropus robustus. Taken and edited from: Ditsong National Museum of Natural History.

Feeding

The species of animals and plants of the time, as well as the morphological characteristics of the Paranthropus fossils, and the type of environment that paleontologists estimate that existed in the area, lead us to infer that the species of the genus were omnivorous, with a greater preference towards the consumption of plants.

The diet of the species that make up the genus Paranthropus varied between plant leaves, hard and soft stems, and also nuts. Some studies suggest that they were predominantly (80%) herbivores, but could resort to the consumption of insect larvae, crabs, and other organisms.

Species

Three species of the genus Paranthropus have been described to date:

Paranthropus robustus

As mentioned previously, this is the type species of the genus. It was described by Dr. Robert Broom in 1938. Native to South Africa, finds of it are known in three different locations: Swartkrans, Dreimulen and Kromdraai.

This species of hominin lived approximately 1 to 2 million years ago. It is known that it was an omnivorous species with quite robust posterior canine teeth. Males reached up to 1.2 meters and 1.0 females, while their weight was around 54 kilograms for males and 40 for females.

The cranial capacity of these organisms averaged about 533 cubic centimeters (cc).

Paranthropus aethiopicus

Species known to eastern Africa, found in places like southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. It was described by French paleontologists Camille Arambourg and Yves Coppens in 1968.

The original description was based on a jaw found in southern Ethiopia. It differed from its congeners by having an extended lower jaw, a developed and forward-projecting face (prognathic), and larger and more developed zygomatic arches. It had a relatively small cranial capacity, about 410 cc.

It is believed to have lived about 2.3 to 2.5 million years ago. In 1985, a black skull about 2.5 million years old was discovered west of Lake Turkana.

The discovery attracted attention because of its coloration, but paleontologists later determined that it was due to the absorption of minerals during the fossilization process.

Paranthropus boisei

Paranthropus boisei was described by Mary Leaky in 1959. She named it Zinjanthropus boisei. Later it was included in the genus Paranthropus. The species has been found in different African locations such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi.

It differs from the other species by presenting a more robust skull and a strongly developed sagittal crest. This species had teeth to withstand high chewing stress, so scientists believe that its food was hard and probably of low quality. It had a cranial capacity of between 500 and 550 cc.

Based on fossil finds, it is presumed to have lived between 1.2 and 2.3 million years ago. A hypothesis about his disappearance indicates that he hyper-specialized to the environment of his time, due to this he could not adapt to the subsequent climatic and environmental changes.

References

1. Paranthropus. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
2. Paranthropus. Recovered from ecured.cu.
3. The paranthropes. Recovered from Recursos.cnice.mec.es.
4. R. Klein (1999). The Human Career. University of Chicago Press.
5. F. Dorey & B. Blaxland. Australian Museun. Paranthropus genus. Recovered from australianmuseum.net.au.
6. Paranthropus boisei. Smithsonian Institution. Recovered from humanorigins.si.edu.
7. Paranthropus robustus. Smithsonian Institution. Recovered from humanorigins.si.edu.
8. Paranthropus aethiopicus. Smithsonian Institution. Recovered from humanorigins.si.edu.
9. The Genus Paranthropus. Recovered from columbia.edu.