Paranthropus boisei

Paranthropus boisei lived from around 2.2 million years ago to about 1.3 million years ago. The first specimen of this species was discovered by Mary Leaky in 1959. The remains were found by Mary at Olduvai Gorge while she was there working with her husband, Louis Leaky. The remains were initially named Zinjanthropus boisei ("Zinj" for short), by Louis Leaky, but eventually this species became known as Paranthropus boisei. Zinj and Zinjanthropus are still commonly used nicknames for this species.

The initial find by Mary Leaky renewed interest in the Olduvai Gorge area, which hadn't shown much for results in the last thirty years of work. Since this initial find more remains of P. boisei have been found in East Africa, Omo Basin, Ethiopia, Lake Turkana, Kenya, and Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

P. boisei had a slightly larger cranial capacity (490-530cc) than early hominids, and a huge chewing apparatus with enormous molar teeth, expanded premolars that look like molars, thick check bones, a thick jaw, and a more pronounced cranial crest.

References:

Day, M.H. The Fossil History of Man. Oxford University Press. Burlington, NC. 1977.

Ember, Carol R. Anthropology A Brief Introduction 4th Edition. Prentice Hall Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2000.

Larsen, Clark. Human Origins 2nd Edition.Waveland Press Inc. Prospect Heights, IL. 1991.

Kreger, David. "Australopithecus boisei". http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/australopithecusboisei.htm. December 11, 2005.

Edited By:

Jared Langseth, 2005.