What is an australopithecine?

Question

What is an australopithecine?

Answer 1

Australopithecines are a genus of extinct hominids that lived in eastern Africa from about 4.2 Ma until about 1 Ma. Some believe that some of the australopithecine species are directly ancestral to humans, however others hold they are a "side-branch" of the line that led to humans, and not direct human ancestors.

Answer 2

Read "icabodwa" who, in my view, delivers complete answers to Q's with references for further Reading.

The mapping of our human lineage is an ongoing effort and we learn more each year because of the hard work of a few individuals in this field of study.

I read that some have assigned pithecine to be our ancestors and stated that they walked upright, one of the qualifying characteristics for Hominidae.

Since they date to 4.1 or 4.2 millions of years ago the scholars who do not think they were bipedal are probably correct. The feeling now appears to be that geophysical changes in East Africa about 3.5 million years ago caused major changes in the landscape eliminating most forestation and delivering more of a plains or scrub like terrain. This is most likely what forced our actual ancestors to walk upright (no tree limbs to swing from - forced to walk faster and see better that on four legs).

This situation may also have implications involving a laryngeal evolution since the upright skeleton would allow a larger larynx making way for more complex sounds eventually leading to the ability, after millions of years of evolution, to the development of speech, another identifying characteristic of what was to become modern humans..

Answer 3

Its a prehistoric species of hominids. They are ancestors of modern humans.

Answer 4

a type of early human in the chain of human evolution

Answer 5

The first known bipedal hominids (4 million years ago)were the Australopithecus. ("Southern Ape") There are several known types and the exact lineage is still being argued. The known family tree is:

Australopithecus afarenis "Southern Ape of Afar" This is the species "Lucy" belongs to.  Brain size is about 410cc, they stood between 3 and 4 feet and weighed about 65 pounds. They went extinct about 2.5 million years ago.

Australopithecus africanus "Southern Ape of Africa" Probably evolved from Australopithecus afarenis and lived 3 to 1 million years ago. Brain size was about the same as a gorilla's and they stood between 3 and 4 feet tall. Weight was about 45 to 90 pounds.

Australopithecus robustis "Robust Southern Ape" This species is larger then Australopithecus africanus , 4 feet 11 inches and 5 feet 7 inches, and weighed 110-154 pounds. Brain size is put at 500cc. This group lived 2.5 million to 1.5 million years ago. There is argument that robustis was the male of the afarenis or africanus species.

Australopithecus boisei "Bosie Southern Ape" boisei is named after one Charles Boise and supporter of fossil hunts. The original name was Zinjanthropus "East Africa man" The species lived 2.5 to 1 million years ago. Height was between 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. Weight was between 132 and 176 pounds. Brain size was about 500cc.  boisei is nicknamed "Nutcracker man" due to its large jaw and massive grinding teeth. However, examination has shown that it could chew no harder then us and it's diet seems to have primarily been of leaves.

Answer 6

Australopithecines are a genus of extinct hominids that lived in eastern Africa from about 4.2 Ma until about 1 Ma.

Add:  Ah, I note someone else has developed those extremely high-tech google skills.  Try it!  You'll like it!

Answer 7

its an ancient ancestor of man i believe

Answer 8

" Southern ape man "