Australopithecus africanus lived from about two to three million years ago during a period of major climatic and ecological change in South Africa, and the species was characterised by a combination of human-like and retained ape-like traits.
How astonishing would it be that something resembling
Australopithecus would have survived a long, long, way from the African Rift Valley as recently as 50,000 years ago?
She knelt down and pressed her forehead against the Plexiglas case that contained the
Australopithecus skull.
Shape of the teeth and flatness of the cheek bones are the prominent features
Australopithecus Africanus.
naledi's collarbone and upper arm bone resemble corresponding
Australopithecus bones, she reported.
While I was an undergraduate anthropology student as at Miami University, exciting word came out of discoveries of
Australopithecus fossils in East Africa.
The most famous of these is
Australopithecus afarensis known as Lucy who lived between 2.9-3.8m years ago, and was initially thought to be our direct ancestor.
This fossil represents a species,
Australopithecus afarensis, that at one 'dine was thought to be the closest relative of humans.
The specimens, dubbed
Australopithecus sediba, have an unusual mix of features.
Anthropologists think that
Australopithecus sediba, as he's known scientifically, may be the immediate ancestor of humans.