Sahelanthropus tchadensis

[sah-he--lan-thruh-puhs cha-den-sis]

noun

1. an extinct species of hominin and one of the oldest known species in the human lineage, having lived between about 6 and 7 million years ago in central Africa and noted for its upright walking as well as both apelike and humanlike features: the first of few fossil specimens were discovered in northern Chad in 2001, indicating the earliest humans were more widely distributed than previously thought.

2. a fossil belonging to this species.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sahelanthropus tchadensis¹

First recorded in 2000–05; from New Latin Sahelanthrōpus, literally, “Sahel man,” from Arabic sāḥil “coast, shore” + Greek ánthrōpos “human being, man” + tchadensis , literally, “of or pertaining to Chad,” in north central Africa.

Example Sentences

Other new fossils pushed the human lineage even older: a 6-million-year-old thighbone from an apparent upright walker from Kenya called Millennium Man, or Orrorin tugenensis; and a stunning skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis, dated 6 million to 7 million years old, from Chad.

Read more on Science Magazine

The fossil species, named Sahelanthropus tchadensis, walked upright while still being able to climb around in trees, they reported.

Read more on Seattle Times

A partial thighbone and two lower arm bones from Chad’s Djurab Desert suggest a species known as Sahelanthropus tchadensis ambled along on two legs, as well as spending some time in the trees, according to a new study.

Read more on Science Magazine

One example is a 7-million-year-old thigh bone discovered in Chad in 2001 that is said to belong to a species called Sahelanthropus tchadensis, which is claimed to be the earliest-known hominin on the basis of skull analysis.

Read more on Nature

One of the earliest specimens that people believe lies on our lineage – or not far from it – is Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a six to seven-million-year-old fossil found in Chad.

Read more on The Guardian