The word australopithecus designates the now extinct genus of hominid primates , as the biological family that includes both great apes and man is called.
Extinct genus of hominid primates
It should be noted that to simplify its expression , the term has been Castilianized as Australopithecus .
Origins, characteristics and findings that allowed discovering its characteristics and closeness to man
The origin of Australopithecus dates back to approximately four million years, in Africa , especially in those areas with a tropical climate, and its physical disappearance occurred around two million years ago.
Among the most relevant characteristics that this genus contributed, its bipedal movement stood out , that is, they had two feet that allowed them to move and walk upright as we humans do today.
Regarding their brain, the size was similar to that of modern apes and in relation to modern humans it was 35% of the size.
In the physical structure, thinness and smallness were distinguished, presenting a pronounced sexual dimorphism that implied a much more important size in the case of males, with females being even smaller.
Their diet was based on leaves and fruits.
There are different species within the australopithecine branch: the apharenis, the anamensis, the bahrelghazali, the africanus, the garhi and the sediba , the latter especially stands out among all because it would be the most recent australopithecus historically speaking, therefore, it stands as one of the most direct ancestors of the human being today.
The Australopithecus Sediba, the closest subspecies to humans
Australopithecus sediba is an extinct species like the rest of the branches that make up the Australopithecus group.
The only find of this species dates back to about two million years ago, having lived during the Calabrian, which is the geological temporal division that corresponds to the second age and floor of the Pleistocene (middle) that belongs to the Quaternary period.
The first of the specimens of this species found was located in Johannesburg, in 2008, and it was the son of the North American explorer and paleontologist, Lee Berger, who found it while accompanying his father on the exploration task.
Its remains protruded from a rock and the announcement of its finding only arrived in 2010, then other remains continued to appear that allowed us to advance in the knowledge of this species of Australopithecus, which, as we already said, is the closest temporarily to man. and that is why it is the one that has attracted the most attention of all.
The pieces found, thanks to the benefits of the new technologies of our days, were introduced into a scanner that revealed important information about them, such as that they had a complete femur, ribs, vertebrae and many other relevant parts in their extremities. .
Regarding the studies on their brain, it was found that they had a small brain, of about 420 to 450 CC., And certainly long arms, characteristic of australopithecines, although also a highly evolved face with a nose and teeth more very small.
The pelvis and long legs allowed australopithecines to walk upright.
All this information studied allowed the experts to deduce that this species could walk and presumably even run just as we humans can.
A singular fact is the disposition of an extra long thumb and very strong fingers, which allowed us to suppose that this species was the first to create tools a little less than two million years ago.
The scholars of the subject have agreed to consider that the australopithecine has been a key piece in the evolution of the human being , since it was one of the species that gave way to homo , in Africa (modern human being) and this to in turn it was the original kick of homo habilis, homo ergaster and homo sapiens , sapiens .