Structural organization and tooth development in a Homo aff. erectus juvenile mandible from the Early Pleistocene site of Garba IV at Melka Kunture, Ethiopian highlands

A 1.7-million-year-old juvenile mandible from Garba IV, Melka Kunture (Ethiopia), reveals robust mandibular morphology and a tooth developmental pattern consistent with Homo aff. erectus, suggesting the specimen was approximately 2.5 to 3.5 years old at death. The study, based on medical CT imaging, provides novel insights into early Homo dental maturation, crown size, and tissue proportions, comparing these features with extant humans and other fossil hominins. Findings indicate that while permanent incisor and canine crown sizes align with H. erectus estimates, molar dimensions are closer to those of H. habilis-rudolfensis, with lower pulp volumes than in modern humans or other fossils.

Zanolli, C., Dean, M. C., Assefa, Y., Bayle, P., Braga, J., Condemi, S., Endalamaw, M., Engda Redae, B., & Macchiarelli, R. (2016). Structural organization and tooth development in a Homo aff. erectus juvenile mandible from the Early Pleistocene site of Garba IV at Melka Kunture, Ethiopian highlands. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 162(3), 533–549. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23135