The diet of the early hominid species is a diet that was mixed, and was not limited to

either being a carnivore or herbivore. The diet of the early hominid species was similar to a

hunter-gatherer diet but within a broad spectrum of landscape adaptation, in which some species

became more dependent on vegetables or meat due to scarcity. Many early hominids located in

forested areas mainly fed on fruit, leaves, and other forest based objects (Bower 2012). As we

move toward the early australopithecines, and away from the Miocene apes, and first hominids,

we begin to see a unique diet that deviated away from its predecessors (Tedford and Ungar

2000). Physical features, such as the dentition showcased that hominids began to eat more

harder, brittle food instead of the soft foods that they ate previously (Tedford and Ungar 2000).

Many early australopithecines relied these hard fallback foods during a certain time of the year,

and the robust species relied on them more regularly (Ted and Ungar 2000). For example,

Central Africa’s Australopithecus bahrelghazali feed on underground parts of grasses and sedges

based on the chemical analysis done on a tooth and jaw (Bower 2012). It also feed on shrubs and

trees. The australopithecines showcased complex physical features, such as moderate-size

incisors with flat large molars and thick enamel, which would have suited well for breaking

down hard food by crushing (Tedford and Ungar 2000). The australopithecines had a physical

package that allowed them to eat hard objects, as well as soft foods, which made them well

suited for living life in diverse habitats that ranged from wooded areas to open grasslands (Ted

and Ungar 2000). Furthermore, the dental microwear of australopithecines is most similar to

those of modern day seed and soft fruit eaters (Ted and Ungar 2000). Thus it is suggested by

most researchers that the diet of australopithecines and other early hominid species is one that

varied between seeds, roots, tubers, grass, fleshy fruit, and leaves (Sponheimer and Lee-Thorp

1999).

Bower, Bruce2012 Early hominid had unusual diet. Science News 182(12): pp 14.

Sponheimer, Matt and Julia A. Lee-Thorp1999 Isotopic Evidence for the Diet of an Early Hominid, Australopithecus africanus. Science, New Series 283(5400): 368-370.

Tedford, Mark and Peter Ungar2000 Diet and the Evolution of the Earliest Human Ancestors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 97(25): 13506-13511.