Question

What are the hominid-like features associated with Sahelanthropus tchadensis?

Answer 1

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

It is one of the oldest known species in the human family tree. This species lived sometime between 7 and 6 million years ago in West-Central Africa (Chad)

Walking upright helped this species survive in various kinds of habitats, including forests and grasslands. Although we have only cranial material from Sahelanthropus, studies so far show this species had a combination of hominid or ape-like and human-like features.

Hominid like features associated with sahelanthropus tchadensis includes :-

1. A small brain (even slightly smaller than a chimpanzee’s)

2.Sloping face

3.Prominent brow ridges,

4.Elongated skull.

Human-like features associated with sahelanthropus tchadensis are

1. small canine teeth

2. short middle part of the face

3.spinal cord opening underneath the skull instead of towards the back as seen in non-bipedal apes.