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Australopithecus

The Start of the Standing Species

By Sanjana Melkote Period 6 4-22-16

Raymond Dart https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Australopithecus_Africanus.jpg

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Taxonomic Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Family: Hominidae

Genus: Australopithecus

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Genus: Australopithecus

A. Anamensis

A. Afarensis

A. Garhi

A. Africanus

A. Sediba

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Australopithecus Anamensis

4.2-3.9 million years ago

in Eastern Africa

Ape-like Characteristics

Long forearms, wrist features

Human Characteristics

Bipedal

Life

Strong jaws, heavily enameled teeth

Likely plant-eaters

Forests and woodlands

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Australopithecus Afarensis

3.85-2.95 million years ago

in Eastern Africa

Lucy’s species
Growth

similar to chimps

Ape-like Characteristics

Face and brain

Human Characteristics

Small canine teeth

Adaptations helped them survive for almost 1 million years

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Fossils Found

This incomplete fossil was pieced together to resemble that of a human’s body.

Lucy to Date

Lucy: 3 ft 5 inches and 64 pounds

Women today: 5 ft 5 inches and 120-160 pounds

Burwell,http://krauthammerlab.med.yale.edu/imagefinder/ImageDownloadService.svc?articleid=2781798&file=1748-7161-4-24-11&size=LARGE

Wikipedia,https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Reconstruction_of_the_fossil_skeleton_of_%22Lucy%22_the_Australopithecus_afarensis.jpg

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As evolution continued...

Australopithecus Garhi

2.5 million years ago

Eastern Africa

-long femur

Australopithecus Africanus

3.3-2.1 Million years ago

South Africa

-round cranium

-larger brain

-smaller teeth

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Australopithecus Sediba

South Africa

1.977-1.98 million years ago

Lee R Burger http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/malapa-fossils/img/comparing-sebida-afarensis-erectus-990.gif

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Thank you!

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Works Cited