The recently unearthed fossil represents the first known partial specimen of a 2.6-million-year-old lower jaw from Ethiopia’s Afar region, specifically belonging to the genus Paranthropus. This fossil is among the oldest remains found in the region and is likely the earliest of its kind across Africa. This groundbreaking discovery significantly reshapes paleoanthropologists’ perspectives on early hominid evolution, suggesting that these ancient relatives had a more extensive and adaptable lineage than previously recognized.
Paranthropus boisei. Image credit: © Roman Yevseyev.
The newly labeled fossil, MLP-3000, was discovered in the Mille Logia research area and comprises an edentulous mandibular body, complete with preserved roots and a partial molar crown.
Geological and magnetostratigraphic analyses indicate that these fossils date back approximately 2.9 to 2.5 million years during a period marked by dramatic environmental shifts in eastern Africa.
“To understand our evolutionary trajectory as a genus and species, we must also comprehend the ecological and competitive factors that influenced our evolution,” said Zeresenai Alemseged, a professor at the University of Chicago.
“This discovery offers more than just a snapshot; it sheds new light on the underlying forces driving the evolution of Paranthropus.
Until now, Paranthropus fossils had primarily been documented from southern Ethiopia to South Africa, with no prior findings in the Afar region. This lack of evidence was confounding given the region’s abundance of fossils spanning around 6 million years, including significant discoveries of Australopithecus and early homo.
Recent findings reveal that Paranthropus, from its earliest known existence, had a broader geographic range than previously understood.
“We seek to comprehend who we are and how we evolved, influencing our behavior and the environment around us,” Professor Alemseged stated.
“The fossil record showcases more than 15 hominin species, typically classified into four categories: facultative bipeds, habitual bipeds, obligate bipeds, and obligate hominids.”
“Numerous fossils belonging to more than a dozen species, including Ardipithecus, Australopithecus, and homo, have been discovered in the Afar region of northern Ethiopia. The lack of Paranthropus fossils in this area was striking and perplexing for paleoanthropologists, many of whom theorized that this genus never expanded that far north.”
“Some experts have posited that dietary specialization may have restricted Paranthropus, suggesting that competition with more adaptable homo species limited its range,” he added.
“However, this assumption is incorrect; Paranthropus was as adaptable and versatile as homo, and this discovery illustrates that its absence in the Afar area was merely a result of the fossil record.”
According to anatomical analysis, the jaw exhibits a unique blend of features, showcasing characteristics of Paranthropus alongside those found in more primitive hominids, including a notably robust mandibular body and exceptionally large posterior canines.
This mosaic of traits leads researchers to tentatively classify the fossil as Paranthropus sp., without assigning it to a specific species.
The context of this discovery is equally vital as the fossil itself.
The Mille Rogia area preserves sediments from a time of significant environmental change, roughly between 3 million and 2.4 million years ago, during which the climate shifted toward more open grasslands, becoming the dominant habitat.
Fossils of associated animal species highlight these habitat transformations; Paranthropus was not confined to a narrow ecological niche but could thrive in various environments.
The presence of Paranthropus in the Afar region additionally suggests that multiple hominin lineages coexisted in this area during the late Pliocene.
Fossils of early homo and Australopithecus, dating to a similar period, have already been located at nearby archaeological sites, indicating a surprising level of diversity in early homo evolution.
By extending the known range of Paranthropus over 1,000 km north of its previously recognized boundaries, this discovery challenges long-held assumptions regarding the ecology and migration patterns of early hominids.
“This new finding enhances our understanding of adaptation and behavior, including the competitive dynamics between species, diet, physical adaptations, and potential use of stone tools,” Professor Alemseged remarked.
“Discoveries like this spark intriguing questions that prompt us to examine, revise, and formulate new hypotheses about the significant differences among major hominin groups.”
This important finding has been detailed in the following article: paper, published in today’s edition of Nature.
_____
Zeresenai Alemseged et al.. First long-distance Paranthropus fossils expand the distribution of this adaptable genus. Nature published online on January 21, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09826-x
Source: www.sci.news
