Paranthropus: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	robust australopithecine

Photos

Paranthropus boisei

Paranthropus robustus

Thematic map of sub-Saharan Africa showing major sites where hominid fossils have been found, including locations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Chad, and South Africa. Different symbols indicate fossil discoveries of Australopithecus, Kenyanthropus, Ardipithecus, Orrorin, and Paranthropus. Major lakes and country borders are also marked for geographic context.

A diagram showing the tentative evolutionary relationships among hominid species over the past four million years, with skull images and labeled species names connected by solid and dotted lines to indicate proposed evolutionary pathways.

See All Images →

Topics

Paranthropus boisei Paranthropus robustus Paranthropus aethiopicus Kanapoi fossil Koobi Fora remains Peninj mandible Pleistocene Epoch Australopithecus Pliocene Epoch australopith Ardipithecus Pithecanthropus Boskop skull