KNM-ER 1470 is an almost complete cranium missing aspects of its anterior face, including portions or the zygomatic and frontal bone. The cranium exhibits relatively weakly developed supraorbital tori, nor does it show a distinct supraorbital sulcus². In addition, there is moderate (but not pronounced) postorbital constriction, and no evidence of a sagittal keel². Overall, the cranium shows little indication of powerful chewing muscle attachments. This cranium does not preserve any teeth or tooth crowns, but the roots and the alveoli suggest that the incisors and canines (anterior teeth) were of substantial size², and that the cheek teeth were relatively large³. The vault of the cranium is relatively high, with parietal eminences and steeply sloping sides³.

There is much debate as to whether or not Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis are the same species. If they are considered as separate species, KNM-ER 1470 is a good representation of the latter. The face of KNM-ER 1470 is relatively long in comparison with the H. habilis specimen KNM-ER 1813, and has a larger cranial capacity and larger cheek teeth³. Some argue that these specimens represent the male and female counterparts of a single species with marked sexual dimorphism, while others argued that the two fossils represent different species.

1. Johnson D and Edgar B. 2006. From Lucy to Language: Revised, Updated, and Expanded. New York: Simon and Schuster
2. Leakey REF. 1973. Evidence for an Advanced Plio-Pleistocene Hominid from East Rudolf, Kenya. Nature 242:447-450
3. Klein RG. 2009. The Human Career: Human Biological and Cultural Origins, Third Edition. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press.