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Australopithecus Afarensis Is An

Australopithecus afarensis was an extinct species of early human that lived between 3.9-2.9 million years ago in East Africa. Major fossil discoveries in the 1970s in Ethiopia and Tanzania helped uncover A. afarensis, including the well-preserved "Lucy" skeleton. A. afarensis had features of both early humans and apes, was a competent bipedal walker, and was a generalist omnivore that could exploit a variety of food sources and habitats across East Africa between 3.9-2.9 million years ago.

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52 views1 page

Australopithecus Afarensis Is An

Australopithecus afarensis was an extinct species of early human that lived between 3.9-2.9 million years ago in East Africa. Major fossil discoveries in the 1970s in Ethiopia and Tanzania helped uncover A. afarensis, including the well-preserved "Lucy" skeleton. A. afarensis had features of both early humans and apes, was a competent bipedal walker, and was a generalist omnivore that could exploit a variety of food sources and habitats across East Africa between 3.9-2.9 million years ago.

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lisa
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Australopithecus afarensis 

is an extinct species of australopithecine which lived from about 3.9–


2.9 million years ago (mya) in the Pliocene of East Africa. The first fossils were discovered in the
1930s, but major fossil finds would not take place until the 1970s. From 1972 to 1977, the
International Afar Research Expedition—led by anthropologists Maurice Taieb, Donald Johanson,
and Yves Coppens—unearthed several hundreds of hominin specimens in Hadar, Ethiopia, the
most significant being the exceedingly well-preserved skeleton AL 288-1 ("Lucy") and the site AL
333 ("the First Family"). Beginning in 1974, Mary Leakey led an expedition into Laetoli, Tanzania,
and notably recovered fossil trackways. In 1978, the species was first described, but this was
followed by arguments for splitting the wealth of specimens into different species given the wide
range of variation which had been attributed to sexual dimorphism (normal differences between
males and females). A. afarensis probably descended from A. anamensis and possibly gave rise
to Homo, though the latter hypothesis is not without dissent.
A. afarensis had a tall face, a delicate brow ridge, and prognathism (the jaw jutted outwards). The
jawbone was quite robust, similar to that of gorillas. The living size of A. afarensis is debated, with
arguments for and against marked size differences between males and females. Lucy measured
perhaps 105 cm (3 ft 5 in) in height and 25–37 kg (55–82 lb), but she was rather small for her
species. In contrast, a presumed male was estimated at 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) and 45 kg (99 lb). A
perceived difference in male and female size may simply be sampling bias. The leg bones as well
as the Laetoli fossil trackways suggest A. afarensis was a competent biped, though somewhat less
efficient at walking than humans. The arm and shoulder bones have some similar aspects to those
of orangutans and gorillas, which has variously been interpreted as either evidence of partial tree-
dwelling (arboreality), or basal traits inherited from the human–chimp last common ancestor with
no adaptive functionality.
A. afarensis was probably a generalist omnivore of both C3 forest plants and C4 CAM savanna
plants—and perhaps creatures which ate such plants—and was able to exploit a variety of
different food sources. Similarly, A. afarensis appears to have inhabited a wide range of habitats
with no real preference, inhabiting open grasslands or woodlands, shrublands, and lake- or
riverside forests. Potential evidence of stone tool use (which is weak) would indicate meat was
also a dietary component. Marked sexual dimorphism in primates typically corresponds to
a polygynous society and low dimorphism monogamy, but the group dynamics of early hominins is
difficult to predict with accuracy. Early hominins may have fallen prey to the large carnivores of the
time, such as big cats and hyenas.

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