Australopithecus

1. Australopithecus

2. The Australopithecus Australopithecus ( from latin “ australis ” southern and greek “ pithekos ” ape ) is an extinct genus of hominids . The Australopithecus genus evolved in eastern Africa around 4 million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct 2 million years ago. Places where different australopithecus species have been found

3. Australopithecus in human evolution Australopithecus played an important part in human evolution , being the first of the hominins to show presence of a gene that increased length and ability of neurons in the brain . One of the australopith species evolved into the Homo genus in Africa around 2 million years ago. Reconstruction of an A. afarensis

4. Morphology and diet The brains of the most species were 35% of the size of an actual human brain . They usually stood between 1,2 to 1,4 metres tall , being males larger than females . They were bipedal , which diferenced them from previous primates, who were quadrupeds . This tells us that bipedalism preceded large brains . The study of fossil teeth shows that australopithecus ate fruit , vegetables and tubers .

5. The first australopithecus found The first australopithecine discovered and documented was a fossil of a three year old Australopithecus africanus in Taung , South Africa , in 1924. Cast of the Taung Child Original skull of Mrs. Ples, a female A. africanus