Definition:
A basal hominin genus dating between 4.0-4.4 mya. Ardipithecus is distinguished by primitive feet featuring a divergent big toe contrasted against its other bipedal anatomy. The life history of Ardipithecus is thought to have been similar to that of modern chimpanzees with age at first reproduction between 10-12 years, an inter-birth interval of 4-5 years, and a maximum longevity of 50 years. Only two Ardipithecus fossils have been described thus far, Ardipithecus ramidus and Ardipithecus kadabba, both found in Ethiopia.
