Discovery News has an article summarizing some of Peter Ungar's recent work on tooth anatomy and wear in early Homo.
The study suggests Homo habilis, which some researchers have nicknamed "the handy man" because this species made the first known stone tools, was more of a fruit and veg eater than the apparent omnivore Homo erectus.
Teeth for the latter had greater numbers of pits, while handy habilis teeth had more striations suggestive of pulling down on fruit and leaves.
"Both of the species would probably have focused on high energy-yield, easy-to-consume foods, such as soft fruits when they could get them," Ungar told Discovery News. "The differences between H. habilis and H. erectus suggest that the latter may have focused a bit more on tough foods. They could have been meat, tough tubers or other items."
This is the most-studied dietary transition in human evolution, and it looks like the answers are getting more solid.
