These footprints turned into fossils discovered by scientists at a site called “Kobi Fora”, providing the first evidence that these two species, “Paranthropus boisei” andHomo erectusThey shared the same nature and their paths literally crossed.
The discovery raises interesting questions about the relationship between the two species and any competition for resources.
Paranthropus boisei, the more distant of the two species, lived Modern manbetween 2.3 and 1.2 million years ago, and its length reached about 137 centimeters. It had a skull fitted with large chewing muscles and included a brain similar to that of male gorillas, as well as huge molars. Its feet had ape-like features, such as… Thumb The big one.
And he lived Homo erectusIt is an early link in the lineage of evolution Homo sapiensbetween 1.89 million and 110 thousand years ago, and its length ranged between 145 and 185 centimetres. It had large eyebrows and a brain larger than Paranthropus boisei, although smaller than our species.
Researchers discovered the footprints in 2021 near Lake Turkana in Kenya. They monitored a long path that included 12 footprints, each about 26 centimeters long, of an adult individual of the Paranthropus boisei species, based on its shape and method of travel.
There were 3 isolated footprints, ranging in length from 20.5 to 23.5 centimeters and resembling footprints. Humans contemporaries and were almost perpendicular to the main path. Two of them were complete enough to be confirmed as Homo erectus, and were probably young men. As for the third, it was difficult to say for sure.
Researchers said that the footprints were left on the ground within hours or perhaps a few days. The clay never dried or cracked, and individuals from both sides may have seen each other. There is no evidence of interaction between them.
“Fossil footprints provide us with a clear picture of that moment in time, 1.5 million years ago,” said paleontologist Louise Leakey, director of the “Kobi Fora” research project and co-researcher of the study, which was published yesterday, Thursday, in the scientific journal “Science.” Human ancestors “The different ones were next to each other, wading in shallow water, perhaps hunting and gathering food.”
The researchers reanalyzed the tracks previously discovered nearby, and concluded that the two species were present together on the muddy, fossilized surfaces over a period of about 200,000 years.
“It’s possible that they competed directly, but it’s also possible that they didn’t compete directly and both had access to the resources they needed in this region,” said Kevin Hatala, a human paleontologist and lead researcher of the study from Chatham University in Pittsburgh.
Dietary differences may have mitigated the intensity of competition.
“Paranthropus boisei consumed a low-quality diet that likely required frequent chewing. Homo erectus was likely an omnivore and also had meat in its diet,” Leckie said.
The evolutionary lineages of humans separatedChimpanzee About 7 million years ago in Africa. Species are called in Human race “Hominins,” according to Reuters.
Footprints provide information about anatomy, movement, behavior, and environments that fossil skeletons or stone tools cannot provide. The feet of these two species were anatomically distinct, and each had a different way of walking.
“The footprints we attribute to Homo erectus are very similar to modern humans, with a long arch of sediment in the middle of the footprint that suggests a solid foot and a gait that involves pushing with the toes,” said Neil Roach, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University and a co-author of the study.
“The ‘Paranthropus’ footprints lack this long arch and indicate a more flat-footed gait,” he added. “In addition, the Paranthropus footprints show a slightly wider toe than the other toes and are more mobile. These two features are more similar to the way a chimpanzee walks, although they are “They are clearly distinct and lie somewhere in the middle between chimpanzee and human footprints.”
Paranthropus boisei disappeared hundreds of thousands of years after these effects, while Homo erectus grew. Homo erectus was probably the first human species to spread outside Africa, and is the direct ancestor of Homo sapiens.
The excavation site is a resource-rich lake shore near the mouth of a river.
