Archeological Data in East Africa
Archeological data excavated by anthropologists in East Africa has long been used to establish the area as the birthplace of civilization. The discovery of the earliest hominids in ancient sites such as the Olduvai Gorge has reinforced scientific data that demonstrates the possibility of such finds being factual, verifiable, and evidence-based. Intensive archeological efforts have proceeded unabated to assist anthologists and researchers in understanding African palaeoclimate and tectonics in order to promote a coherent image.
Evolution of East Africa's Landscape
East Africa's climate and ecosystem have evolved significantly over the last 10 million years. Invariably, the landscape has changed from a relatively flat homogenous region covered with mixed tropical forests to currently embody a varied and heterogeneous environment covering vast vegetation and water bodies. Primarily, the progressive rifting of East Africa led to the creation of several lakes attributed to new evidence concurrent with hominine evolution. Alternatively, the unique geological and climatic composition of the East African region contributed to periods of highly variable climate that must have suggested the reasons for hominine specialization, cephalization, and dispersal throughout Africa. A significant area of hominine specialization espoused in this paper includes brain expansion, feeding habits, sexual system, group size, ranging behavior, and territoriality.
Giganpithecus Enormous
Discovery and Fossil Analysis
Giganpithecus enormous represents one the earliest hominines and is an extinct genus of the ape that must have existed from perhaps nine million years ago. Though researchers have questioned its close resemblance to earlier hominids, their discovery in the same geographical locality indicates close relations and similarities. At the site of excavation, it was discovered that there existed at least ten different adult individuals of both sexes, though the remains had undergone a great deal of fossilization. However, some parts of the fossils still remained intact possessing sufficient cranial material to deduce body sizes, sexes, and dietary patterns. The full-grown male species appeared to weigh 77 kilograms at maturity while the female a paltry 44 respectively. Though the skulls were never complete in structure, the researchers made inferences based on the study of several mandibles. The hominine's teeth had high cusps and thin molar enamel which led to the assumption of a habitual grazer living in the relatively open habitat.
Morphology and Description
The brain volume of the species was regarded as small based on the perceived cranial evidence which suggested a capacity of about 400 to 500cm3, not much larger than its related Australopithecine species. Comparatively, the adult male appeared larger and weighed more than the female species, a fact attributed to sexual dimorphism occasioned by evolutionary changes. In furtherance, it emerged that the weight variations could have alluded to their adaptation capabilities in their habitats. The smaller skull could not accommodate an elongated and robust mandible for heavy chewing and crushing of tubers as evident in other species.
Paleobiology, Social Lifestyle, and Diet
The species inhabited the sprawling savanna grasslands where they occupied the open habitats chewing on low foliage and fruits. The high cusps and thin enamel also suggest that the hominin also fed on small animals, hence a potential omnivore. As such, the hominine thrived on foliage during winter and preyed on small animals during the summer when the season was dry. The reduced teeth size characterized by thin enamels alludes to the evolutionary changes in social competition that made the species less menacing and aggressive as those with massive molars and massive jaws. As such, it can be deduced that the hominid Giganpithecus enormous lived in colonies with each comprising of a dominant male also known as the alpha, which dictated issues such as mating and territorial boundaries. An alpha male could most likely mate with several females as evidenced by the discovery of several of the species in one locality. The male species could have also possibly hunted in groups to increase chances of survival. The reduction in male competition may have contributed to their eventual evolution of smaller female species consistent with the need to foster parental investment and provisioning of offspring through bipedalism.
Minicorpus Craniolargus
Discovery and Fossil Analysis
The second discovery made at the second site had fragmentary evidence of both the male and female species. The male skull had undergone severe fragmentation and needed further reconstruction efforts to identify and classify it appropriately. The weight of the male and the female Minicorpus craniolargus averaged at 13 Kg, possessed larger molars that were characteristically low and rounded in shape with very thick enamel. It was also estimated that the species had an abnormally more significant brain capacity than had been earlier predicted based solely on the body size.
Morphology and Description
The hominine Minicorpus craniolargus bears a close resemblance to Australopithecus afarensis, a bipedal hominine which had more extended arms slightly than the legs with advanced cranial features. It is highly likely that Minicorpus craniolargus had an opposable thumb that made it possible to climb and hang from trees. The development of the jaw suggested a heavy chewer of nuts, grains, tree barks, seeds, and fruits. The species was predominantly an herbivore as epitomized by its larger molars, low and rounded to provide a broad surface area to facilitate efficient mastication. Similarly, the postulation of a more prominent brain capacity measuring between 400 cm3 to 450 cm3 must have presented an ape-like intelligence and possibly a pelvic line that essentially promoted bipedalism and an opposable thumb for handling tools. The low weight indicated a possibility for the need to become more mobile, evade predators, and easily climb tree canopies for nuts and fruits.
Paleobiology, Social Lifestyle, and Diet
Minicorpus craniolargus mostly likely lived on treetops in forested and mountainous regions of East Africa. The species might have evolved to adopt sexual dimorphism because of the lumbar spine's inclination which supported mobility upward, an adaptation characteristics to explicitly enable the female bipeds to bear load more efficiently during pregnancy. The sexual nature of the species gets founded on a tightly knit family unit headed by an alpha female or male with fiercely guarded territorial units to reduce chances of food and partner competition.
