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Ancient Foot Fossil Reveals Tree-Climbing Australopithecus Species

11/29/2025

Summary

Story summary

A research team from Arizona State University identified the 3.4-million-year-old Burtele foot as belonging to Australopithecus deyiremeda.
Discovered in Ethiopia, Australopithecus deyiremeda lived alongside Australopithecus afarensis, the species of the famous fossil Lucy.
The Burtele foot features an opposable big toe, indicating a lifestyle that involved significant tree climbing.
The study, published in Nature, indicates that Australopithecus deyiremeda had a tree-based diet, while Australopithecus afarensis had a broader one.

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Story summary

A research team from Arizona State University identified the 3.4-million-year-old Burtele foot as belonging to Australopithecus deyiremeda.
Discovered in Ethiopia, Australopithecus deyiremeda lived alongside Australopithecus afarensis, the species of the famous fossil Lucy.
The Burtele foot features an opposable big toe, indicating a lifestyle that involved significant tree climbing.
The study, published in Nature, indicates that Australopithecus deyiremeda had a tree-based diet, while Australopithecus afarensis had a broader one.