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Evolution of Australopithecines: Bipedal Shift & Brain Expansion

Explore early human evolution with Australopithecus species, their bipedalism, brain expansion, tool use, and changing food sources. Learn about Ardipithecus, Lucy, Taung Child, and more during the Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods.

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Evolution of Australopithecines: Bipedal Shift & Brain Expansion

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  1. Early Attempts at Man The Australopithecines

  2. Other than bipedalism . . . • Other trends in hominid evolution • Expansion of the brain – see skulls • Absolute and relative • Link to tool production – nature favors the clever • Reduction of teeth, face, jaws • Changing food sources/processing make oversized jaws unnecessary • Extended period of infant dependency • Brain is larger, skull is unformed to accommodate birth of said brain • Eating large game • Hunted or scavenged, certainly butchered – marks on bones • Division of labor

  3. Australopithecus – “Southern Ape” • Predominantly found in Eastern Africa • 3.6 million year old fossilized footprints suggest bipedal movement • Spacing, arch, lack of knuckle marks, forward-facing first digit • Though bipedal, other fossils show ability to climb/swing

  4. Australopithecus Ramidus (in text) • After more research, commonly given genus “Ardipithecus” • 4.5 million years old • Pelvis suggests bipedalism, foot retains opposed first digit • Shares some skeletal traits with chimp ancestors, dentition with Australopithecus • Smaller relative brain size than australopithecines (similar to modern bonobos)

  5. A. afarensis • 4-3 million years old • Ape-like teeth • Larger incisors/canines • Tooth rows converge at back • Small brains - ~415 cc • 3.5-4.5’ tall • Lucy – very complete skeleton – 40% • Suggestive of bipedalism, but also climbing characteristics

  6. A. africanus • 3-2 million years old • Brain size – 428-485 cc • Broad incisors, short canines • Pelvis, spine, foramen magnum all suggest bipedal life • Taung Child – 3.5 year old at death – first pre-human found

  7. A. robustus and A. boisei • So-called “robust” species • More commonly now designated Paranthropus– “beside humans” • Robustus – Southern Africa • 1.8-1 million years old • Boisei – Eastern Africa • 2.2-1.3 million years old • Similar body size to other australopithecines • MUCH larger skull/jaw characteristics • Teeth, cheeks, muscle attachment points

  8. To Do: Place the following things on a timeline that runs from about 5 million years ago to the present. Plot the species and label the time period. Include some general detail about each node on your timeline. • Australopithecus afarensis • A. africanus • A. boisei • A. robustus • Ardipithecus ramidus • Dart’s Taung Child • “Lucy” • Homo habilis • H. erectus • H. sapiens • H. sapiens neanderthalensis • Cro Magnon man • Clovis • Identify the Middle and Upper Paleolithic

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