来自中非乍得上新世晚期的一种新的原始人类。

A new hominid from the Upper Miocene of Chad, Central Africa.

作者信息

Brunet Michel, Guy Franck, Pilbeam David, Mackaye Hassane Taisso, Likius Andossa, Ahounta Djimdoumalbaye, Beauvilain Alain, Blondel Cécile, Bocherens Hervé, Boisserie Jean-Renaud, De Bonis Louis, Coppens Yves, Dejax Jean, Denys Christiane, Duringer Philippe, Eisenmann Véra, Fanone Gongdibé, Fronty Pierre, Geraads Denis, Lehmann Thomas, Lihoreau Fabrice, Louchart Antoine, Mahamat Adoum, Merceron Gildas, Mouchelin Guy, Otero Olga, Pelaez Campomanes Pablo, Ponce De Leon Marcia, Rage Jean-Claude, Sapanet Michel, Schuster Mathieu, Sudre Jean, Tassy Pascal, Valentin Xavier, Vignaud Patrick, Viriot Laurent, Zazzo Antoine, Zollikofer Christoph

机构信息

Faculté des Sciences et CNRS UMR 6046, Université de Poitiers, 40 Avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86022 Poitiers Cedex, France.

出版信息

Nature. 2002 Jul 11;418(6894):145-51. doi: 10.1038/nature00879.

DOI:10.1038/nature00879

PMID:12110880

Abstract

The search for the earliest fossil evidence of the human lineage has been concentrated in East Africa. Here we report the discovery of six hominid specimens from Chad, central Africa, 2,500 km from the East African Rift Valley. The fossils include a nearly complete cranium and fragmentary lower jaws. The associated fauna suggest the fossils are between 6 and 7 million years old. The fossils display a unique mosaic of primitive and derived characters, and constitute a new genus and species of hominid. The distance from the Rift Valley, and the great antiquity of the fossils, suggest that the earliest members of the hominid clade were more widely distributed than has been thought, and that the divergence between the human and chimpanzee lineages was earlier than indicated by most molecular studies.

摘要

对人类谱系最早化石证据的探寻一直集中在东非。在此，我们报告在距东非大裂谷2500公里的中非乍得发现了6件原始人类标本。这些化石包括一个近乎完整的颅骨和一些破碎的下颌骨。与之伴生的动物群表明这些化石的年代在600万至700万年之间。这些化石展现出原始特征与衍生特征的独特组合，构成了一个新的原始人类属和种。与裂谷的距离以及化石的古老年代表明，原始人类分支的最早成员分布比此前认为的更为广泛，而且人类和黑猩猩谱系之间的分化比大多数分子研究显示的时间更早。