Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
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A fossilized jawbone from Swartkrans Cave has been reclassified, revealing a long-misidentified species. Previously thought to belong to Homo ergaster, it now points to an entirely new member of the Paranthropus lineage.
Credit: Lazarus Kgasi
Scientists used high-resolution X-ray scans and 3D modeling to uncover key differences in the jaw’s structure. The fossil, now named Paranthropus capensis, does not match any known species in the Homo genus.
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The finding, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, suggests multiple hominin species coexisted in southern Africa over a million years ago—complicating the once-linear story of human evolution.
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Paleoanthropologist Clément Zanolli’s team found that SK 15 had a much thicker jaw and unique molars. Unlike Homo species, its dentine structure indicated a stronger, plant-heavy diet, placing it within Paranthropus.
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Paranthropus species, known as "Nutcracker Man," had massive jaws and teeth designed for crushing fibrous plants. However, P. capensis appears less specialized, hinting at a more adaptable diet than its robust relatives.
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Around 1.4 million years ago, early Homo species, Paranthropus robustus, and P. capensis all shared the same region. This raises questions about competition, coexistence, and the ecological roles each species played.
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Unlike other Paranthropus species thought to be evolutionary dead ends, P. capensis may have been more adaptable. Its smaller jaw suggests a dietary shift that could have prolonged its survival alongside Homo.
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Swartkrans Cave remains a crucial site for untangling human evolution. Zanolli calls it “a key site to uncover the extent of hominin diversity and understand the potential interactions among various species.”
The discovery challenges the idea of a straight path from ape-like ancestors to modern humans. Instead, evolution appears to be a tangled web of species adapting, competing, and sometimes coexisting for millennia.