Ardipithecus Ramidus Facts: Know More About This Human Ancestor

Ardipithecus ramidus is an extinct hominid that lived in Africa about 4.4 million years ago.

While research is still underway, we do know of some of the features of this species that are baffling. Ardipithecus ramidus was very small and probably walked on two legs.

Scientists are still learning about Ardipithecus ramidus, but they have found many bones and teeth from this species. Some of the main findings about Ardipithecus ramidus include that it was a small bipedal creature that walked on its hind legs and had large canine teeth as well as a small brain.

It is also currently considered to be the oldest human ancestor to walk upright on two legs.

Ardipithecus ramidus was found in Ethiopia, which suggests that this species originated from Africa. Further research into Ardipithecus ramidus may help scientists learn more about how humans evolved over time.

The Meaning Of Ardipithecus Ramidus

The genus name Ardipithecus comes from the Afar word 'ardi', which means ground or floor, and the Greek word 'pithekos', which means ape. The species name ramidus is derived from the Afar word 'ramid', meaning root.

• Taken together, Ardipithecus ramidus means ground ape. This name was given to Ardipithecus ramidus because it is an ancestor of modern-day humans and lived on the ground.
• The males and females of the species are known to have shown very few differences.
• The males had larger upper canines than the females and were heavier than them as well.
• The partial skeleton of Ardi, a female individual of the species, shows that this animal would be around 3.9 ft (119 cm) tall and would weigh around 110 lb (50 kg).
• While there are different schools of thought that have opposing opinions regarding this species and how it can be related to modern humans, we can hardly deny the fact that some of the features are striking.
• The fact that this animal species would be one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of human evolution is truly mesmerizing!

Classification Of Ardipithecus Ramidus

Ardi is the incomplete skeleton of a female individual of the Ardipithecus ramidus species, which was found recently. However, specimens of the species were first discovered in the early '90s.

• When the first few fossils were discovered, they showed certain distinctive features which would suggest that the animal did not belong to the Australopithecus ramidus species.
• Hence, a new genus name, Ardipithecus was created.
• This animal is classified with the tribe of Hominini and the family Hominidae.
• Studies have shown that the characteristics of the Ardipithecus ramidus are closer to humans than to chimpanzees.

The Discovery Of Ardipithecus Ramidus

The fossil remains of Ardipithecus ramidus individuals as well as Ardipithecus kadabba were discovered in the Middle Awash of Ethiopia.

• The fossils of Ardipithecus ramidus were discovered in the late 20th century by Tim D. White and his group of paleontologists and archaeologists.
• More than 100 specimens were recovered from the site, which revealed that the animals were different enough from all other established extinct species to be known by a different species name.
• Therefore, a new genus by the name of Ardipithecus was created by Tim D. White.
• Later on, some of the specimens were put together to create Ardi.
• The popularity of Ardipithecus ramidus is understandable given the fact that it was revealed as one of the important answers to human origins amidst a lot of media coverage and recognition.
• The search for human ancestors stems from our curiosity regarding our own roots.
• While Darwin's theories do shed a lot of light on human evolution, there are several factors that are yet to be explored.
• There are several answers which can only be gained through fossils of the ape-like animals that lived millions of years ago and thereby created a precursor for human existence as well.
• The fossils of Ardipithecus ramidus that have been found in Eastern Africa surely place us much closer to understanding human evolution and the ancestors of the early humans.
• Hominids are an extinct species of great apes, some of which are ancestors to human beings.
• Ardipithecus ramidus fossils also reveal that these animals belonged to this extensive group and that they might have been the first apes that stood upright.
• The evolution of apes so that they could be capable of upright walking is a factor that is paramount in learning about human evolution and for this reason, the genus Ardipithecus and genus Australopithecus are extremely important in the realms of paleoanthropology.
• Understandably, to say that the ramidus individuals were the earliest hominins that we know of is impossible since fossils of Sahelanthropus have already been found, which date back to around seven million years ago.
• However, the Ardipithecus ramidus fossils suggest that these animals may also have been one of the most important findings in understanding human lineage.
• Ardipithecus ramidus fossils also suggest that these animals may have been the last common ancestor that humans and chimpanzees shared.
• These theories stem from the extensive study held on the fossils which have been recovered from parts of Africa.
• However, there seem to be two schools of thought in this regard.
• While one group seems to be of the opinion that Ardipithecus ramidus was the last common ancestor that humans share with African apes, there is a group of intellectuals that rejects the theory.
• However, the most widely accepted and established observation is that Ardipithecus ramidus was the ancestor of the Australopithecus species.
• This was established due to studies held on the partial skeleton of an Ardipithecus ramidus individual named Ardi.
• She has proven, through her skeletal structure, that, unlike the early hominids that came before her, she was not in favor of knuckle-walking.
• This is clear through the shape of the arm bones as well as the bones present in the palm.
• The fossil remains of this early hominid, Ardi, are very important in understanding human origins.
• The first fossils of this ancestor to modern humans were first found in 1994, but it was only in 2009 that the partial skeleton of Ardi was formally brought to public knowledge.
• The skeleton not only tells us a lot about living apes but also about the trajectory that human evolution may have taken.

Features Of Ardipithecus Ramidus

The early hominin called Ardipithecus kadabba is known to have been the direct ancestor of Ardipithecus ramidus. Although the complete specimen of either species is yet to be found, the information that has been gathered up to the present day is enough to show us the similarities between the skeletal structures of these ape-like animals and modern humans.

• The skeleton of ramidus (Ardipithecus) shows that when on land, it was bipedal in nature. This essentially means that the animal used to walk upright, much like humans do today.
• Until studies were held on the nature of this animal, the only other ape-like animal that was capable of walking upright was the Australopithecus species.
• This showed us that Ardipithecus kadabba and Ardipithecus ramidus individuals were ancestors of the Australopithecus individuals.
• Studies were also held in order to understand the eating habits of the species.
• The extensive research held on the fossil remains suggests that the Ardipithecus ramidus species was not just a fruit eater.
• In fact, it did not have the enamel thickness which would support a purely herbivorous diet either.
• This suggested that the Ardipithecus ramidus species was omnivorous in nature.
• This conclusion was drawn through the fact that the species' jaw structure and enamel thickness resembles that of modern humans, who evolved to be omnivorous.
• The structure of the arm bone, humerus, and its thickness show us that ramidus (Ardipithecus) was capable of climbing trees and even living in them when not on the ground.
• However, the fact that the species was capable of walking on land around 4.5 million years ago did throw off some of the assumptions that had previously been made.
• One of those assumptions was that the ancestors of human lineage started trying to walk upright when the land began to dry and support the growth of grass.
• However, Ardipithecus ramidus, as a species, is shown to have existed in areas with a lot of fauna.
• The comparative studies also show us that the species had large canines, which were somewhere between the size of the canine teeth of the Australopithecus ramidus and chimpanzees.
• Further studies also showed that the canine teeth of the male Ardipithecus ramidus were larger than those of the females.
• Another difference between the males and females of the species is that the males were often slightly larger than the females.
• Another feature that is important in understanding a species' place in terms of evolution is its capacity to use tools.
• Ardipithecus ramidus may have been capable of using simple tools, much like modern chimpanzees.
• This would include sticks which they would enhance in order to cut small things. Such tools could also have been used for the purpose of hunting.
• Another important thing in this regard is the fact that these animals would also use unenhanced stones for their daily endeavors.
• The toe bone of this species is one of the features which suggest bipedal movements.
• This is often referred to as the off-toe motion.
• There are a number of features that set the Ardipithecus ramidus apart from African apes as well, which is very important information from the perspective of paleoanthropology.
• The shape and structure of the hip bone of the Ardipithecus have also been studied extensively, which has shown important evidence to prove that this extinct species was capable of walking on its hind legs.
• Additionally, the length and structure of the arm, along with the thickness of bones such as radius and ulna show that these apes had great arm strength in order to sustain life in the trees.
• The structure of the tibia and fibula, which are located in the leg, also suggest bipedal movement.
• One of the primitive features of this species was a small brain.
• Furthermore, it is also suggested that their cranial base was either flattened or tucked inside the cranium.