Stories from Afar Region · Ethiopia

A 3-million-year-old female skeleton, named Célam, has been discovered in Ethiopia's Rift Valley. Researchers have validated the discovery of the Aurine Tuguenin 6 skeleton. The specimen is not an Australopithecine as it lacks a diastema between the canine and premolar. The femur shows clear bipedal characteristics and is longer than the Lucy specimen. The teeth are more moderate in size compared to the large teeth found in Lucy. One specimen, named Aurorine, is an ancient biped dating back approximately 6 million years. Researchers identified the specimen as Abel, a rostralopitec found west of the Awash River. The specimen is dated to approximately 3.3 million years ago and is considered a cousin to the Lucille lineage. Researchers have identified the first Rostralopithecus specimen, named Abel, in the West.