Diet and the Evolution of the Earliest Human Ancestors

Over the past decade, discussions of the evolution of the earliest human ancestors have focused on the locomotion of the australopithecines. Recent discoveries in a broad range of disciplines have raised important questions about the influence of ecological factors in early human evolution. Here we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2000-12, Vol.97 (25), p.13506-13511
Main Authors: Teaford, M F, Ungar, P S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anthropology
Apes
Australopithecines
Biological Evolution
Biological Sciences
Diet
Evolution
Food
Fruits
Hominidae
Hominidae - genetics
Hominids
Humans
Meats
Primates
Taxa
Teeth
Tooth - anatomy & histology
Tooth enamel
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Summary:Over the past decade, discussions of the evolution of the earliest human ancestors have focused on the locomotion of the australopithecines. Recent discoveries in a broad range of disciplines have raised important questions about the influence of ecological factors in early human evolution. Here we trace the cranial and dental traits of the early australopithecines through time, to show that between 4.4 million and 2.3 million years ago, the dietary capabilities of the earliest hominids changed dramatically, leaving them well suited for life in a variety of habitats and able to cope with significant changes in resource availability associated with long-term and short-term climatic fluctuations.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.260368897