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The Fossil Evidence for Paranthropus: History of Discovery and Interpretation

  • George Washington University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the fossil evidence for Paranthropus by summarizing the discoveries chronologically. Because the fossil evidence from southern AfricaSouth(ern) Africa was the first to be found, we discuss that before moving on to the evidence from eastern AfricaEastern Africaand MalawiMalawi. Our review of the interpretation of the fossil record of Paranthropus focuses on the alpha taxonomy of the craniodental evidence. Craniodental evidence dominates the fossil record of both Paranthropus robustusParanthropusrobustus and Paranthropus boiseiParanthropusboisei and few postcranial fossils are unequivocally associated with diagnostic craniodental remains, so until we have a better handle on the taxonomic valencyTaxonomytaxonomic valency of limb bones taxonomic debates inevitably concentrate on the craniodental evidence.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationVertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media B.V.
Pages3-28
Number of pages26
DOIs
StatePublished - 2026

Publication series

NameVertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology
VolumePart F1948
ISSN (Print)1877-9077
ISSN (Electronic)1877-9085

Keywords

  • Function
  • Taxonomy

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