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This species is a recent discovery, announced in September 1994 (White et al.
1994; Wood 1994). It is the oldest known hominid species, dated at 4.4 million
years. Most remains are skull fragments. Indirect evidence suggests that it was
possibly bipedal, and that some individuals were about 122 cm (4'0") tall. The
teeth are intermediate between those of earlier apes and A. afarensis, but one
baby tooth is very primitive, resembling a chimpanzee tooth more than any other
known hominid tooth. Other fossils found with a ramidus indicate that it may
have been a forest dweller. This may cause modification of current theories about
why hominids became bipedal, which often link bipedalism with a move to a savannah
environment.
http://www.talkorigins.org/
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