Ardipithecus

American  

[ahr-di-pith-i-kuhs, ‐pi-thee-kuhs] / ˌɑr dɪˈpɪθ ɪ kəs, ‐pɪˈθi kəs /

noun

1. a genus of extinct hominine of the late Miocene and early Pliocene epochs, known from remains found in northeastern Ethiopia in the 1990s: its two named species are A. ramidus and A. kadabba .

---

Etymology

Origin of Ardipithecus

First recorded in 1990–95; from New Latin, from Afar ard, ardi “earth” (from Arabic ʔarḍ ) + Latin pithēcus “ape” (from Greek píthēkos )

Example Sentences

"The presence of an abducted big toe in Ardipithecus ramidus was a big surprise because at 4.4 million-years-ago there was still an early hominin ancestor which retained an opposable big toe, which was totally unexpected," said Haile-Selassie.

From Science Daily

They found a remarkably complete but crushed partial skeleton they named Ardipithecus ramidus, dated to 4.4 million years ago.

From Science Magazine

Nearby, Haile-Selassie later found the lower jaw, teeth, and disarticulated bones of the hands, feet, and arm of Ardipithecus kadabba, dated to 5.8 million years ago.

From Science Magazine

One, the Burtele foot, named after the 3.4-million-year-old layer of sediment in which it was found, lived at the same time as A. afarensis but is more primitive, with an opposable big toe like that of tree-climbing Ardipithecus.

From Science Magazine

Ardipithecus, he says, “makes Lucy and Co. downright humanlike in comparison.”

From Science Magazine