Australopithecus africanus


Australopithecus africanus

Australian anatomist at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, named Raymond Dart, discovered the first australopithecine in 1924. His particular find was that of an immature ape-like specimen, comign from the quarry at Taung, South Africa. In an artcile he wrote for the magazing "Nature", Dart made the highly controversial statement, in that claimed his find to have been a descendent of humanity. Upon being joined in his research by one, Robert Broom, the duo were to uncover further examples of this specimen that they were to name Australopithecus africanus. A. africanus lived throughout Southern Africa from dates ranging between 2.3 to 3.3 million years.

The Fossils:

From Makapansgat, South Africa:

	MLD 1 Partial Skull ~Discover and date of discovery are unknown, but were found at Makapansgat, South Africa ~Dated to between 3.0 and 3.3 million years picture credit

	MLD 2 Mandible ~Discover and date of discovery are unknown, but were found at Makapansgat, South Africa ~Dated to between 3.0 and 3.3 million years picture credit

	MLD 6 Lower Orbit and Partial Maxilla ~Discover and date of discovery are unknown, but were found at Makapansgat, South Africa ~Dated to between 3.0 and 3.3 million years picture credit

	MLD 9 Cranium

	MLD 12 Mandible

	MLD 22 Mandible

	MLD 29 Mandible

	MLD 34 Mandible

	MLD 37/38 Cranium

	MLD 40 Mandible

	MLD 45 Mandible

From Sterkfontein, South Africa:

	STS 5 Ms. Ples ~Discovered by Robert Broom in 1947 at the South African site of Sterkfontein ~Dated to between 2.3-2.8 million years picture credit

	STS 7 Mandible

	STS 14 Nearly Complete Vertebral Column, Pelvis, Some Rib Fragments, and Part of a Femur ~Discovered by Robert Broom and J.T. Robinson at Sterkfontein, South Africa in 1947 ~Dated to 2.5 million years (See figure A in the graphic. Is marked as A. Plesianthropus)

	STS 17 Cranium

	STS 20 Cranium

	STS 26 Cranium

	STS 36 Mandible

	STS 52a Maxilla - Full Dentition ~Discovered by J.T. Robinson in 1949 at Sterkfontein ~Dated to between 2.3-2.8 million years picture credit

	STS 52b Mandible - Full Dentition ~Discovered by J.T. Robinson in 1949 at Sterkfontein ~Dated to between 2.3-2.8 million years picture credit

	STS 67 Cranium

	STS 71 Partial Cranium ~Discovered by Robert Broom and J.T. Robinson in 1947 at Sterkfontein ~Dated to between 2.5 million years picture and reference credit

	STW 13 Cranium

	STW 73 Cranium

	STW 252 Cranium

	STW 384 Mandible

	STW 404 Mandible

	STW 498 Mandible

	STW 505 Cranium ~From Sterkfontein, South Africa ~Dated to between 2.8-2.6 million years picture and reference credit

	STW 513 Mandible

From Taung, South Africa:

	Taung ~Discovered by M. de Bruyn in 1924 at Taung, South Africa ~Dated to 2.5 million years ~Taung is the type specimen for Australopithecus africanus picture and reference credit

	TM 1511 Cranium

	TM 1512 Cranium


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A. ramidus ~ A. anamensis ~ A. afarensis ~ A. africanus ~ A. gahri ~ A. bahrelghazali ~ P. boisei ~ P. aethiopicus ~ P. robustus ~ H. habilis ~ H. rudolfensis ~ H. erectus ~ H. ergaster ~ H. antecessor ~ H. heidelbergensis ~ H. neanderthalensis ~ H. sapiens
Southern Africa ~ Eastern Africa ~ North Central Africa ~ Asia ~ Europe/Northwestern Africa

Steven Heslip ~ 2001 ~ heslipst@msu.edu