Selam (Australopithecus)
Encyclopedia
Selam is the fossilized skull and other skeletal remains of a 3-year-old Australopithecus afarensis
female whose bones were first found in Dikika
, Ethiopia
in 2000 and recovered over the following years. She is often nicknamed Lucy's baby. The remains have been dated at 3.3 mya, approximately 120,000 years older than "Lucy
" (dated to about 3.18 Ma). The fossils were discovered by Zeresenay Alemseged
, and are remarkable for both their age and completeness.
On September 20, 2006, the journal Nature presented the findings of a dig in Dikika, Ethiopia, a few miles south (across the Awash River
) from Hadar
, the place where the fossil remains known as Lucy was found. The recovered skeleton comprises almost the entire skull and torso, and many parts of the limbs. The features of the skeleton suggest adaptation to walking upright (bipedalism) as well as tree-climbing, features that correspond well with the skeletal features of Lucy and other specimens of Australopithecus afarensis
from Ethiopia and Tanzania. "Lucy's Baby" has officially been nicknamed "Selam
" (meaning "peace").
The following is the abstract of the original article describing the baby, which was authored by Zeresenay Alemseged, Fred Spoor, William H. Kimbel, René Bobe, Denis Geraads, Denné Reed and Jonathan G. Wynn, and appeared in Nature
on September 20, 2006.
A life like image of Selam was published on the front page of the November 2006 issue of National Geographic
.
).
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. A. afarensis was slenderly built, like the younger Australopithecus africanus. It is thought that A...
female whose bones were first found in Dikika
Dikika
The Dikika region is an area of the Afar Region of Ethiopia where the hominid fossil named Selam was found...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
in 2000 and recovered over the following years. She is often nicknamed Lucy's baby. The remains have been dated at 3.3 mya, approximately 120,000 years older than "Lucy
Lucy (Australopithecus)
Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of bone representing about 40% of the skeleton of an individual Australopithecus afarensis. The specimen was discovered in 1974 at Hadar in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years...
" (dated to about 3.18 Ma). The fossils were discovered by Zeresenay Alemseged
Zeresenay Alemseged
Dr. Zeresenay Alemseged is an Ethiopian paleoanthropologist and Chair of the Anthropology Department] at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, USA...
, and are remarkable for both their age and completeness.
On September 20, 2006, the journal Nature presented the findings of a dig in Dikika, Ethiopia, a few miles south (across the Awash River
Awash River
The Awash is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura...
) from Hadar
Hadar, Ethiopia
Hadar is a village in Ethiopia, on the southern edge of the Afar Triangle with a latitude and longitude of approximately . The village is known for the nearby archaeological site....
, the place where the fossil remains known as Lucy was found. The recovered skeleton comprises almost the entire skull and torso, and many parts of the limbs. The features of the skeleton suggest adaptation to walking upright (bipedalism) as well as tree-climbing, features that correspond well with the skeletal features of Lucy and other specimens of Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. A. afarensis was slenderly built, like the younger Australopithecus africanus. It is thought that A...
from Ethiopia and Tanzania. "Lucy's Baby" has officially been nicknamed "Selam
Salaam
Salaam may refer to:* , the word for "peace" in Arabic, often used as a greeting, see S-L-M for an overview* , one of the Names of God in Islam...
" (meaning "peace").
The following is the abstract of the original article describing the baby, which was authored by Zeresenay Alemseged, Fred Spoor, William H. Kimbel, René Bobe, Denis Geraads, Denné Reed and Jonathan G. Wynn, and appeared in Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
on September 20, 2006.
A life like image of Selam was published on the front page of the November 2006 issue of National Geographic
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
.
Evolution
Many paleoanthropologists propose that the homo line derives from A. africanus, in this view it might be better to place Selam in the A. africanus line since it has more human traits than most A.afarensis (see HomininaeHomininae
Homininae is a subfamily of Hominidae, which includes humans, gorillas and chimpanzees, and some extinct relatives; it comprises all those hominids, such as Australopithecus, that arose after the split from orangutans . Our family tree, which has 3 main branches leading to chimpanzees, humans and...
).
See also
- Taung ChildTaung ChildThe Taung Child — or Taung Baby — is the fossilized skull of a young Australopithecus africanus individual. It was discovered in 1924 by quarrymen working for the Northern Lime Company in Taung, South Africa...
(Australopithecus africanus) - List of fossil sites (with link directory)
- List of hominina (hominid) fossils (with images)
- HomininaeHomininaeHomininae is a subfamily of Hominidae, which includes humans, gorillas and chimpanzees, and some extinct relatives; it comprises all those hominids, such as Australopithecus, that arose after the split from orangutans . Our family tree, which has 3 main branches leading to chimpanzees, humans and...