Abstract

VAN DER MERWE, Nikolaas J.; MASAO, Fidelis T.  and  BAMFORD, Marion K.. Isotopic evidence for contrasting diets of early hominins Homo habilis and Australopithecus boisei of Tanzania. S. Afr. j. sci. [online]. 2008, vol.104, n.3-4, pp.153-155. ISSN 1996-7489.

Isotopic dietary studies of early hominins have hitherto been confined to specimens from South Africa. We are now able to report isotopic analyses of two species of early hominins from Tanzania: Homo habilis and Australopithecus boisei. The results show that these two species had very different diets. The isotopic analyses of three South African species of early hominins, in contrast, show considerable variation in individual diets, but no marked differences between species.

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