Explore the earliest possible hominins in this exercise. Read recent articles about Ardipithecus, Sahelanthropus, and Orrorin.

Early Potential Hominin Species

Table 7-2 (58.0K)

Think about: Why are these species only potentially hominin?

Fossils from Ethiopia May Be Earliest Human Ancestor

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0712_ethiopianbones.html

Think about: What makes this discovery important? what makes it controversial?

Chad Skull "Leans to Human Line"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4416757.stm

Think about: Why is this find controversial?

Orrorin Tugenensis: Pushing Back the Hominin Line

http://cogweb.ucla.edu/ep/Orrorin.html

Think about: What evidence suggests that Orrorin tugensis walked upright?

1	Sahelanthropus tchadensis is the oldest potential human ancestor.
	A)	True
	B)	False
2	Sahelanthropus tchadensis was found in East Africa.
	A)	True
	B)	False
3	The position of the foramen magnum in S. tchadensis is similar to that in humans but not in chimps.
	A)	True
	B)	False
4	Evidence from CT scans suggests that Orrorin tugenensis walked upright.
	A)	True
	B)	False
5	All hominins are bipedal.
	A)	True
	B)	False
6	Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba was discovered in Ethiopia and is dated to approximately 5.2 to 5.8 million years ago.
	A)	True
	B)	False
7	Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba lives in a savannah-like environment.
	A)	True
	B)	False
8	Summarize the evidence suggesting that Ardipithecus, Orrorin and Sahelanthropus were hominin. What evidence suggests that they were not?