Early Pleistocene large mammals from Maka’amitalu, Hadar, lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia

Research at Maka’amitalu, Hadar, in Ethiopia’s lower Awash Valley, reveals significant species turnover in large mammal faunas during the Early Pleistocene (~2.4–1.9 Ma), with a small but diverse assemblage of 20 taxa. Unlike older deposits (e.g., Hadar Formation and Ledi-Geraru), this fauna shows subtle shifts in dietary proportions, body size, and bovid abundances, suggesting a constant rate of turnover over time. Biochronological analysis supports the age estimate from Bouroukie Tuff 3 (BKT-3). The study highlights the paleoecological and evolutionary significance of the region, contributing to our understanding of mammalian evolution in eastern Africa.

Rowan, J., Lazagabaster, I. A., Campisano, C. J., Bibi, F., Bobe, R., Boisserie, J.-R., Frost, S. R., Getachew, T., Gilbert, C. C., Lewis, M. E., Melaku, S., Scott, E., Souron, A., Werdelin, L., Kimbel, W. H., & Reed, K. E. (2022). Early Pleistocene large mammals from Maka’amitalu, Hadar, lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia. PeerJ, 10, e13210. Portico. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13210