Further details concerning fossils attributed to Sahelanthropus tchadensis (Toumaï) : research in action

The fossils attributed to Sahelanthropus tchadensis from the Late Miocene of Chad are of great scientific and cultural importance, and are the subject of debate as to whether they represent a hominid or an ape. It is therefore necessary to provide full and accurate details of the fossil collection. We demonstrate that the third lower molar of the right mandible illustrated in the Nature article that announced the discovery is in reality a left M3, and an incisor collected at the site did not feature in the paper. These particulars affect the interpretation of the fossils, including estimates of the minimum number of individuals involved and the associations between the various specimens.