Paranthropus and its Characteristic

Paranthropus and its Characteristic:

Scholars have placed two species in the genus Paranthropus. They are Paranthropus Robustus and Paranthropus Crassidens. Paranthropus Robustus was discovered by Dr. Broom from a place Cromdroai situated nearby Sterkfontein. He named this fossil as Paranthropus Robustus. In the year 1948 evidence of Paranthropus Crassiden was discovered from Sweetkran. Some anthropologists have placed Zinjanthropus Boisei under Paranthropus Robustus. Zinjanthropus was discovered by Leakey in 1959 from Oldowai George of Tanzania in East Africa. The fossil evidence of Paranthropous Robustus includes some skulls, humerus, ulna, palm bones, etc. On the basis of fossil finds, characteristic features of Paranthropus Robustus are as follows:

(1) Cheekbones are elevated forward.

(2) The lower part of the upper jaw is flat.

(3) Lower part of the face of Paranthropus Robustus resembles with Orangutan but its Palate part resembles with man.

(4) Its upper jaw shows Prognathism.

(5) Its lower jaw is heavy.

(6) The lower jaw of a female Paranthropus possesses a chin.

(7) The canine teeth of Paranthropus Robustus are similar to man.

(8) Molar teeth of the Robustus are bigger than modern man, but they’re full of human features.

(9) Segital crest was fully developed in the lower jaw of Paranthropus Crassidens.

(10) Head was not fully developed in frontal bones, but the supraorbital torus was fully developed.

(11) Pelvic girdle of Paranthropus Robustus resembles with man in shape and size, but its ischial bone resembles with apes.

(12) Paranthropus was able to stand erect and walk with feet.

(13) Cranial capacity of Paranthropus Crassidens was 1050 C.C. and the cranial capacity of Paranthropus Robustus was 600 C.C. This shows that the Crassidens species possessed a more developed brain than the Robustus species. Its period was lower Pleistocene in geological time scale.