Orrorin

Orrorin tugenensis is an early hominin species known from fragmentary fossils found in the Tugen Hills of the Kenyan Rift Valley. The name Orrorin means “original man” in the Turkana language, and tugenensis refers to the Tugen Hills where the remains were discovered in 2000 by Brigitte Senut and Martin Pickford. The fossils are dated to about 6 million years ago, placing them in the late Miocene.

The known material includes a proximal femur and several dental fragments recovered from the Lukeino Formation. The femur is the most complete element and has features that some researchers interpret as evidence of upright walking, while others caution that the small sample size limits confidence. Teeth show a mix of primitive and derived traits relative to later hominins.

Interpretation of Orrorin’s locomotion and phylogenetic position is debated. Some scientists argue that the femoral morphology indicates habitual bipedalism and that Orrorin may lie on the human lineage before the better-known australopithecines. Others contend that the evidence is insufficient to confirm bipedal locomotion or to resolve its exact relationship to Homo and Australopithecus, given the limited fossil material.

Orrorin remains one of the oldest potential hominins from Africa and contributes to discussions about the origins and timing of bipedalism. Its discovery has encouraged ongoing debate about early hominin diversity and the complex early stages of the human lineage, highlighting the need for additional fossils to clarify its place in the family tree.