Sahelanthropus tchadensis

[ sah-he--lan-thruh-puhs cha-den-sis ]

noun

1. an extinct species of hominin and one of the oldest known species in the human lineage, having lived between about 6 and 7 million years ago in central Africa and noted for its upright walking as well as both apelike and humanlike features: the first of few fossil specimens were discovered in northern Chad in 2001, indicating the earliest humans were more widely distributed than previously thought.
2. a fossil belonging to this species.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sahelanthropus tchadensis¹

First recorded in 2000–05; from New Latin Sahelanthrōpus, literally, “Sahel man,” from Arabic sāḥil “coast, shore” + Greek ánthrōpos “human being, man” + tchadensis , literally, “of or pertaining to Chad,” in north central Africa.

Example Sentences

Other new fossils pushed the human lineage even older: a 6-million-year-old thighbone from an apparent upright walker from Kenya called Millennium Man, or Orrorin tugenensis; and a stunning skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis, dated 6 million to 7 million years old, from Chad.

From Science Magazine

The fossil species, named Sahelanthropus tchadensis, walked upright while still being able to climb around in trees, they reported.

From Seattle Times

A partial thighbone and two lower arm bones from Chad’s Djurab Desert suggest a species known as Sahelanthropus tchadensis ambled along on two legs, as well as spending some time in the trees, according to a new study.

From Science Magazine

One example is a 7-million-year-old thigh bone discovered in Chad in 2001 that is said to belong to a species called Sahelanthropus tchadensis, which is claimed to be the earliest-known hominin on the basis of skull analysis.

From Nature

One of the earliest specimens that people believe lies on our lineage – or not far from it – is Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a six to seven-million-year-old fossil found in Chad.

From The Guardian