 | |
| Catalogno. | STS 14 |
|---|---|
| Species | Australopithecus africanus |
| Age | 2.5 million years old |
| Discovered by | Robert Broom andJohn T. Robinson |
STS 14 is afossilized partial skeleton of thespeciesAustralopithecus africanus. It was discovered atSterkfontein, South Africa byRobert Broom andJohn T. Robinson in August 1947, and is estimated to be about 2.5 million years old.[1][2]
Some scientists have proposed that STS 14 may have come from the same individual asSTS 5 though that fossil is considered only 2.15 million years old.
The specimen consists of apelvis,vertebral column and fragmentaryrib andfemur. Notable characteristics include the distinctly human-like shape of its pelvic blades, indicating a type ofbipedalism.[3] This find was the first to demonstrate, without a doubt, pre-Homo bipedality.
Curiously, the specimen has sixlumbar vertebrae, more than either most humans, who have five, or modern apes, which may have five or fewer.[2]
The specimen'ssacrum contains an unfusedintervertebral disk between the first and second sacral vertebrae, suggesting that the individual died before reaching maturity.[4]
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