Brief
Adult Homo erectus skull found at Drimolen, but Paranthropus robustus still dominates fossil count
A new adult Homo erectus fragment strengthens evidence of the species in southern Africa, though it remains a minority among Drimolen finds.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Scientists have identified an adult Homo erectus skull fragment (DNH 127) among 18 newly described hominin fossils from Drimolen Cave in South Africa, confirming the species' presence in the region about two million years ago. The same site yields more than ten times as many Paranthropus robustus specimens, according to the study reported by SciTechDaily.
What happened
The Drimolen Main Quarry, part of the Cradle of Humankind, produced 18 new fossils that researchers attribute to either Homo erectus or Paranthropus robustus. Among them, DNH 127 is a fragment of an adult Homo erectus skull, dated to roughly two million years ago. Earlier Homo erectus evidence from the cave consisted of a child’s skull (DNH 134) aged two to four years, leaving uncertainty about adult morphology.
What the report adds
SciTechDaily notes that the adult fossil strengthens the case that Homo erectus was already living in southern Africa at that time, aligning with adult specimens from Dmanisi, Georgia, dated to about 1.8 million years ago. The article also highlights that Paranthropus robustus fossils outnumber Homo erectus remains at Drimolen by more than ten to one, indicating the former’s numerical dominance in the local ecosystem.
What was said
Lead researcher Dr. Jesse Martin is quoted saying, “Homo erectus is the first species of hominin that researchers broadly agree fits within our own genus Homo and is likely directly ancestral to us,” and adds that the new adult fossil “provides further confirmation that this species first appeared in southern Africa 2 million years ago.”
How it came about
The Drimolen site was discovered in 1992, but many fossils excavated through 2019 had never been formally published. The recent analysis, published in the Annals of Human Biology, finally documents these specimens, offering new insight into the coexistence of two distinct hominin lineages sharing the same landscape.
Key facts
- An adult Homo erectus skull fragment (DNH 127) was identified at Drimolen Cave. (scitechdaily.com)
- The fragment dates to about two million years ago. (scitechdaily.com)
- Paranthropus robustus fossils outnumber Homo erectus remains at the site by more than ten to one. (scitechdaily.com)
- The findings were published in the Annals of Human Biology. (scitechdaily.com)
- Dr. Jesse Martin led the research and emphasized Homo erectus as a likely direct ancestor of modern humans. (scitechdaily.com)
Sources
- [1] scitechdaily.com — originally reported as “Homo erectus Was Outnumbered 10 to One by Another Human Relative”
