Kenyan footprints shed light on prehistoric human cousin Paranthropus

Fossilized footprints discovered on a muddy lakeshore in northern Kenya are shedding new light on Paranthropus boisei, an extinct species in the human evolutionary lineage known for its adaptations to eating tough vegetation. The 21 tracks, left approximately 1.43 million years ago near Lake Turkana, were made by eight individuals believed to be part of this species.

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In all, this is another amazing snapshot that gives us insights into how these hominins looked, how they walked and how they engaged with each other and with their environments.

Researchers attributed the footprints to Paranthropus boisei based on their distinct shape and gait. The size of the tracks suggests they were likely made by adult males. This finding offers a rare glimpse into the social behavior of this ancient hominin, indicating that males sometimes journeyed across the landscape in groups, potentially without females or children present.

"In all, this is another amazing snapshot that gives us insights into how these hominins looked, how they walked and how they engaged with each other and with their environments," said Kevin Hatala, a paleoanthropologist at Chatham University and lead author of the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Paranthropus boisei is most well known for their extremely robust skulls and very large teeth. From the neck down, we haven’t known a lot about their anatomy.

The footprints also provide new data on the physical dimensions of Paranthropus boisei. They suggest a height of up to 6 feet (1.83 meters) and a weight of around 165 pounds (74.84 kilograms). These estimates are larger than previously thought, indicating that Paranthropus boisei may have rivaled Homo erectus in body size, despite its distinct cranial anatomy adapted for a specialized diet. The species is characterized by robust skulls, large teeth, and a cranial crest similar to male gorillas, anchoring powerful chewing muscles.

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It had long been thought that they were smaller in body size than the contemporary Homo erectus, which is thought to have been very human-like in body size and shape. But perhaps Paranthropus boisei was also able to achieve human-like body sizes despite a cranial anatomy that seems to indicate a very different kind of diet.