Geochemical chronologies in surface increments and exposed cross-sections of naturally fractured hominin enamel from the South African sites of Swartkrans and Kromdraai indicate that Paranthropus robustus exploited both forest and grassland habitats, and that individuals did not move on the landscape in a manner analogous to extant African apes.
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References
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Madupe, P. P. et al. Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability in southern African Paranthropus. Science 388, 969–973 (2025). This paper confirms, using enamelin proteins, that conventional morphological indices might lead to incorrect sex assignments to P. robustus teeth.
Sillen, A., Hall, G., Richardson, S. & Armstrong, R. 87Sr/86Sr ratios in modern and fossil food-webs of the Sterkfontein Valley: implications for early hominid habitat preference. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62, 2463–2473 (1998). This paper provides data on 87Sr/86Sr for local plants on different substrates in the vicinity of Swartkrans, used to generate Fig. 1a.
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This is a summary of: Sillen, A., Dean, C. & Balter, V. Geochemical chronologies in Paranthropus robustus teeth inform habitat and life histories. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02798-1 (2025).
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Isotope analysis of fossil teeth provides insight into the habitat and life histories of the early hominin Paranthropus robustus. Nat Ecol Evol 9, 1558–1559 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02799-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02799-0
