Flesh on bones of 'first ape-man'  

BBC
Wednesday, April 6, 2005

[Caption] The reconstruction corrects distortions in
Touma?'s fossilised skull

Experts are a step closer to answering whether an ancient
skull from Africa belonged to a possible human ancestor
or was closer to apes, Nature reports.

Fresh fossil finds from Chad in central Africa, as well
as a new analysis of the skull, seem to confirm "Touma?"
was closer to us, say researchers.

The Touma? skull was unearthed in Chad in 2002 to
international acclaim.

But rival researchers attacked claims by the discoverers
that it was the oldest hominid, or human-like creature.

 It may well have given rise to bipedal hominids, but
it's not yet a bipedal hominid

Martin Pickford, National Museum of Natural History

The near-complete skull, pieces of jawbone and several
teeth unveiled in 2002 were discovered in the desert of
northern Chad by a team led by Michel Brunet, of the
University of Poitiers, France.

At six to seven million years old, Sahelanthropus
tchadensis (better known by its nickname Touma?) dates to
about the time where, according to genetic data, the
ancestors of humans and the ancestors of chimpanzees went
their separate evolutionary ways.

[Caption] Touma? has a mixture of primitive and more
modern features

The find had a puzzling combination of modern and
primitive features. It had an ape-like brain size and
skull shape, combined with a more human-like face and
teeth.

It also sported a remarkably large brow-ridge, more like
that of hominids.

But at least one anthropologist argued that the fossil
could belong to an female forerunner of a gorilla.

Now Brunet and colleagues report discovering two new jaw
fragments and the crown of a tooth in the same
geographical area as the earlier fossils.

The authors say their analysis reveals key similarities
to hominid fossils and differences from African apes that
support their original claim that Touma? belongs on the
human branch of the primate evolutionary tree.

Virtual reconstruction

In a separate paper, a team including Brunet and
Christoph Zollikofer of the University of Z?rich in
Switzerland, presents a 3D computer reconstruction of the
skull, which had been badly distorted in the ground.

The team has essentially "unmangled" the skull, and the
reconstruction appears to confirm S. tchadensis shared
key features with later hominids.

[Caption] The reconstructed shape of the skull suggests
it belonged to a hominid

In addition, the position of the foramen magnum - the
hole where the spinal cord enters - is similar to that in
humans but not apes.

This suggests Touma? was bipedal; he walked upright like
we do.

"We performed a virtual reconstruction because the skull
is heavily mineralised and distorted. It is impossible to
do one by physical means," Dr Zollikofer told the BBC.

"[The find] is absolutely unique for several reasons.
First, because of its age. Then because of its
geographical location. Third, because it is incredibly
complete."

Not swayed

Martin Pickford of the National Museum of Natural History
in Paris is one of those scientists unconvinced by
arguments that Touma? is a hominid.

"What we're saying is that it is an ape-like animal. It
may well have given rise to bipedal hominids, but it's
not yet a bipedal hominid," Dr Pickford told the BBC.

[Caption] The original fossil skull was badly mangled

Professor Zollikofer commented: "I would say most of the
disagreement over the fossil came from the fact that it
is distorted, so it is quite difficult to recognise the
diagnostic hominid features."

If Touma? really does belong on the human branch of the
evolutionary tree, its discovery calls into question
certain assumptions about our prehistory.

The fossils were found some 2,500km (1,500 miles) west of
the African Great Rift Valley - traditionally seen as
humankind's ancestral home due to the wealth of hominid
fossils that have been discovered there.

The discovery of S. tchadensis implies early hominids
ranged far wider from East Africa, and far earlier, than
previously thought.

It also suggests that hominids evolved quickly from apes
after they set off on their own evolutionary path.

More at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4416757.stm

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