The species nameAustrolopithecus anamensis is derived from the word anam, which means 'lake' in a local language spoken near Lake Turkana in Kenya. It was only in 1995 that Meave Leakey discovered the fossils of the new species, A. anamensis, at Kanapoi and Allia Bay on Lake Turkana. With about 80 individuals represented at the two sites, researchers are still working to understand more about A. anamensis. Certain cranial features, such as small, elliptical ear holes and a U-shaped dental arcade indicate a similarity to apes. Other features of its anatomy, however, seem more humanlike and indicate bipedality. Fossil finds of this species are dated to about 4.17 million to 4 million years ago (mya).
Comparative drawings of the skulls of A. anamensis are unfortunately not available to illustrate this page.