australopithecus

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Definition of australopithecus in English English dictionary

(Latin; "southern ape") Genus of extinct hominids that lived in southern and eastern Africa from the early Pliocene Epoch (beginning 5 million years ago) to the beginning of the Pleistocene ( 1.8 million years ago). The group is believed to be ancestral to modern human beings (Homo sapiens). Australopithecines are distinguished from apes by their upright posture and bipedal gait. Their brains were small, not very different from those of living apes, but their teeth were more humanlike than apelike. Three species of gracile australopithecines have been identified: A. anamensis (4.2 million-3.9 million years ago), A. afarensis (3.9 million-2.9 million years ago) and A. africanus (3 million-2 million years ago). Two species of robust australopithecines, A. robustus (2 million-1 million years ago) and A. boisei (2.3 million-1.4 million years ago), have been identified. Both robust species apparently evolved from the gracile species and eventually became extinct without evolutionary successors. A. afarensis or A. anamensis may have given rise to the genus Homo. See also Hadar remains; human evolution; Laetoli footprints; Lucy; Olduvai Gorge; Sterkfontein

Related Terms

australopithecus afarensis

fossils found in Ethiopia; from 3

australopithecus afarensis

5 to 4 million years ago

australopithecus africanus

gracile hominid of southern Africa; from about 3 million years ago

australopithecus boisei

large-toothed hominid of eastern Africa; from 1 to 2 million years ago

australopithecus robustus

large-toothed hominid of southern Africa; from 1

australopithecus robustus

5 to 2 million years ago; formerly Paranthropus

genus australopithecus

extinct genus of African hominid

Hyphenation

Aus·tra·lo·pith·e·cus

Turkish pronunciation

ôstreylōpîthıkıs

Pronunciation

/ôˌstrālōˈpəᴛʜəkəs/ /ɔːˌstreɪloʊˈpɪθəkəs/