Functional Morphology of <i>Homo habilis</i>

Abstract

Olduvai hominid (O.H.) fossils 7, 8, and 35 represent the earliest species of the genus Homo dated at 1.76 million years. The O.H. 7 hand, jaw, and skull and the O.H. 8 foot come from one subadult individual, and the O.H. 35 leg are also those of Homo habilis. The skeleton represents a mosaic of primitive and derived features, indicating an early hominid which walked bipedally and could fabricate stone tools but also retained the generalized hominoid capacity to climb trees.