Important fossils
Some important fossils found of Ar. ramidus, found by the Middle Awash research team, are listed below.
1992-1994: Teeth
The teeth of two Ar. ramidus individuals were found in Aramis between 1992 and 1994.
According to the University Museum at the Univeristy of Tokyo, where Gen Suwa is a professor:
"These fossils were definitively more primitive than any known species of the genus Australopithecus. However, pending discovery of even more informative fossils and body parts, the fossils were conservatively published as a new species of the genus Australopithecus."
1994-1995: Ardi
Over three field seasons, the partial skeleton of an Ardipithecus ramidus female nicknamed "Ardi" was unearthed from Aramis, Ethiopia.
The skeleton was carefully removed from its 4.4-million-year-old soil after being shipped to the National Museum Ethiopia.
It took 17 years (until 2009) for scientists to digitally recreate the extremely fragile skeleton and annouce it was a new species.
With over 1 million years seniority over Lucy, this is the oldest most-complete hominin fossil find to date.