Wolkites

Wolkites are a group of extinct hominins that lived in the Afar region of Ethiopia during the Pliocene epoch, approximately 2.5 million years ago. They are known from a single fossil, the partial skull and mandible discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson and Tim White. The Wolkites fossil, designated as AL 288-1, is notable for its unique combination of features that set it apart from other hominin species.

The Wolkites skull exhibits a mix of primitive and derived traits. It has a large braincase, similar to that of early hominins like Australopithecus, but also shows more advanced features such as a reduced face and a more human-like dental structure. The mandible, however, is more robust and less specialized for chewing than in later hominins.

The Wolkites are significant in the study of human evolution because they represent an early stage in the transition from early hominins to more advanced species like Homo. Their fossils provide valuable insights into the evolutionary processes that led to the development of modern humans. Despite their importance, the Wolkites are not well-represented in the fossil record, making them a subject of ongoing research and debate among paleoanthropologists.