Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Australopithecus ramidus, a new species of early hominid from Aramis, Ethiopia

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 04 May 1995

Abstract

Seventeen hominoid fossils recovered from Pliocene strata at Aramis, Middle Awash, Ethiopia make up a series comprising dental, cranial and postcranial specimens dated to around 4.4 million years ago. When compared with Australopithecus afarensis and with modern and fossil apes the Aramis fossil hominids are recognized as a new species of Australopithecus—A. ramidus sp. nov. The antiquity and primitive morphology of A. ramidus suggests that it represents a long-sought potential root species for the Hominidae.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Johanson, D. C. & White, T. D. Science 202, 321–330 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sarich, V. M. & Wilson, A. C. Science 158, 1200–1203 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hasegawa, M., Kishino, H. & Yano, T. J. molec. Evol. 22, 160–174 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pilbeam, D. R. Am. Anthrop. 88, 295–312 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Sarich, V. M., Schmid, C. W. & Marks, J. Cladistics 5, 3–32 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Andrews, P. & Martin, L. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 334, 199–209 (1991).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Andrews, P. Nature 360, 641–646 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Begun, D. R. Science 257, 1929–1933 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dean, D. & Delson, E. Nature 359, 676–677 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. WoldeGabriel, G. et al. Nature 371, 330–333 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dart, R. A. Fol. Anat. Jap. 12, 207–221 (1934).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Robinson, J. T. Transv. Mus. Mem. 9, 1–179 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Le Gros Clark, W. E. Q. J. geol. Soc. 105, 225–264 (1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Walker, A. C. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 65, 47–60 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. White, T. D. Anthropos (Brno) 23, 79–90 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ward, S. C. & Hill, A. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 72, 21–37 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. White, T. D. et al. Nature 366, 261–265 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kramer, A. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 70, 457–473 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Hill, A. & Ward, S., Yb. phys. Anthropol. 31, 49–83 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Hill, A., Ward, S. & Brown, B. J. hum. Evol. 22, 439–451 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Hill, A. Nature 315, 222–224 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pickford, M., Johanson, D. C., Lovejoy, C. O., White, T. D. & Aronson, J. L. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 60, 337–346 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Coffing, K., Feibel, C., Leakey, M. & Walker, A. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 93, 55–65 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Heinrich, R. E., Rose, M. D., Leakey, R. E. & Walker, A. C. Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 92, 139–148 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Fleagle, J. G., Rasmussen, D. T., Yirga, S., Bown, T. M. & Grine, F. E. J. hum. Evol. 21, 145–152 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Patterson, B., Beherensmeyer, A. K. & Sill, W. D. Nature 226, 918–921 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ferguson, W. W. Primates 24, 397–409 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Ferguson, W. W. Primates 25, 519–529 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ferguson, W. W. Primates 28, 258–265 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ferguson, W. W. Primates 30, 383–387 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Lovejoy, C. O. Science 211, 341–350 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Lovejoy, C. O. in The Origin and Evolution of Humans and Humanness (ed. Rasmussen, D. T.) 1–28 (Jones and Bartlett, Boston, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

White, T., Suwa, G. & Asfaw, B. Australopithecus ramidus, a new species of early hominid from Aramis, Ethiopia. Nature 371, 306–312 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/371306a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/371306a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing