PARIS — Newly discovered fossils prove that a mysterious foot found in Ethiopia belongs to a little-known, recently named ancient human relative who lived alongside the species of the famous Lucy, scientists said Wednesday.

The discovery is the latest twist in the tale of human evolution and could even cast some doubt on the status of Lucy’s species, Australopithecus afarensis, as the direct ancestor of Homo sapiens.

Until the foot was discovered in Burtele in northeastern Ethiopia in 2009, Lucy’s species was thought to be the only human relative living in the area more than three million years ago.

But the appendage clearly does not belong to Lucy’s species because it has an opposable toe — similar to a thumb — allowing its owner to grab onto tree branches like apes.

The team of scien

See Full Page