Australopithecus africanus

Australopithecus africanus is an extinct hominin species known from South African fossils, generally dated to about 3.3–2.1 million years ago. Its anatomy combined habitual upright walking with adaptations for climbing.

Taung Child: A juvenile Australopithecus africanus skull discovered in South Africa and described by Raymond Dart in 1925. Its small skull first established the species and provided evidence of an upright-walking ancestor.
Bipedalism: Habitual locomotion on two legs, characteristic of humans and several extinct hominins. Pelvic, leg, and foot anatomy indicates that Australopithecus africanus walked upright.
Raymond Dart: An Australian anatomist who described Australopithecus africanus from the Taung Child in 1925. His interpretation of the juvenile skull challenged claims that human origins lay in Asia.
Paranthropus robustus: A robust South African hominin species with large chewing muscles and specialized teeth. It shares parts of the regional fossil record but had more extreme chewing adaptations.
Mrs. Ples: A nearly complete Australopithecus africanus skull discovered at Sterkfontein in 1947. This adult skull became one of the species’ best-known fossils and helped document its variation.
Arboreal locomotion: Movement through trees by climbing, grasping, or moving along branches. Curved fingers and other traits suggest climbing remained part of its locomotor repertoire.
Robert Broom: A Scottish-born South African physician and paleontologist who excavated important australopith fossils. His Sterkfontein discoveries supplied adult specimens after Dart’s initial announcement.
Australopithecus sediba: A South African hominin species known from fossils about two million years old at Malapa. Its younger fossils raise questions about whether it relates to Australopithecus africanus or later Homo.
Little Foot: A largely complete Australopithecus skeleton from Sterkfontein, usually classified as Australopithecus prometheus. Its classification and age differ from those of Australopithecus africanus, illustrating South Africa’s taxonomic debates.
Masticatory apparatus: The teeth, jaws, and muscles involved in biting and chewing. Large cheek teeth and robust jaws indicate substantial chewing capacity.

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