Sahelantropus tchadensis (6-7 mya)
oldest known fossil, closer to modern human than orangutans
Sahelanthropus tchadensis is an extinct hominid species that lived approximately 6-7 million years ago in the late Miocene epoch. It was first discovered in Chad in 2001 by Michel Brunet.
Sahelanthropus tchadensis is considered to be one of the earliest known species on the human lineage. It has a combination of primitive and derived features, which make it difficult to determine its exact position on the evolutionary tree. Some scientists believe that it is on the lineage leading to humans, while others think it may be a side branch.
The holotype (specimen used for the original description) of Sahelanthropus tchadensis is a nearly complete cranium, which shows some key features that make it different from other hominids and early human ancestors. For example, it has a flat face with small teeth, a relatively small braincase and a prominent brow ridge. The foramen magnum, which is the opening in the skull where the spinal cord exits, is positioned more anteriorly than in apes, suggesting that Sahelanthropus tchadensis may have been bipedal.
The discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis has shed light on the early evolution of hominids and the emergence of bipedalism in our ancestors. However, much more research is needed to fully understand the evolutionary relationships among early hominids and the factors that led to the development of bipedalism.
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