New Analysis Suggests 'Little Foot' Fossil Represents Unidentified Hominin Species

Recent scientific analysis of the early human fossil designated StW 573, commonly known as 'Little Foot,' suggests the nearly complete skeleton may represent a previously unidentified species within the human lineage, according to research published in late 2025 in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology.

The skeleton was recovered from South Africa's Sterkfontein cave system between 1994 and 1998, with the arduous excavation process taking nearly two decades to fully free the remains from the rock matrix, ultimately revealing over 90% of the skeleton, including the cranium. The specimen has historically been subject to taxonomic debate, previously assigned to either *Australopithecus prometheus* or *Australopithecus africanus*. Lead author Dr. Jesse Martin, an adjunct researcher at La Trobe University and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge, indicated that detailed comparative analysis supports a novel classification, asserting the remains are "more likely a previously unidentified, human relative" and demonstrably not *A. prometheus* or *A. africanus*.

Researchers utilized advanced three-dimensional scanning techniques to isolate a minimum of five distinct anatomical variances when contrasting Little Foot with established specimens of *A. africanus* and the MLD 1 fragment, which serves as the type specimen for *A. prometheus*. These differences were observed in structures such as the base of the skull, including a longer nuchal plane, a feature that suggests a distinct species status due to its conservation across human evolution. Professor Andy Herries of La Trobe University and the University of Johannesburg provided context on the *A. prometheus* classification, noting it was historically based on the now-discredited premise that these early hominins used fire.

Standing approximately 1.20 to 1.30 meters tall, the morphology of Little Foot presents a mosaic of traits, featuring long legs adapted for bipedalism alongside curved phalanges indicating climbing capabilities, reflecting adaptation to both terrestrial and arboreal environments. This ongoing refinement of the hominin family tree aligns with a broader scientific understanding recognizing human evolution as a complex, branching process rather than a linear progression. This complexity is paralleled by other significant 2025 paleoanthropological developments, such as the reclassification of a million-year-old skull from China, shifting it from *Homo erectus* to *Homo longi*, or 'Dragon Man'.

The initial four ankle bones that gave the specimen its informal name were first identified by Ronald J. Clarke in 1994, having been collected from the Sterkfontein Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site often referred to as the 'Cradle of Humankind.' The research team, operating under an Australian Research Council grant directed by Professor Herries, plans further investigation to precisely situate this unique hominin within the broader evolutionary narrative.