Species Profile
Australopithecus africanus
Southern ape
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderUnknown
FamilyUnknown
Introduction
Australopithecus africanus lived about 3–2 million years ago.
Fossils were found in South Africa.
It represents a transitional stage between apes and humans.
Size & Structure
01
Short stature (about 1–1.4 m)
02
Bipedal posture
03
Small brain capacity (~450–500 cc)
04
Human-like teeth with reduced canines
Australopithecus africanus — 3D Model
No 3D model available
General Features
- Coelom
- True coelom
- Body plan
- Tube within a tube body plan (Deuterostomous)
- Germ layer
- Triploblastic
- Metamerism
- Absent
- Body symmetry
- Bilateral
- Fertilization
- Internal
- Digestion type
- Complete
- Nervous system
- Developed cerebrum (larger than apes)
- Excretory organ
- Kidneys
- Body temperature
- Homeothermic
- Circulatory type
- Closed, double, complete
- Development type
- Direct
- Respiratory type
- Pulmonary respiration
- Mode of excretion
- Ureotelism
- Circulation system
- Closed
- Skeleton structure
- Endoskeleton
- Level of Organisation
- Organ system level
- Regulation of Osmosis
- Osmoregulator
Ecology
Omnivorous hominin
Lived in woodland and savanna
Early adaptation to upright walking
Economic Importance
Key fossil in human ancestry
Important in paleoanthropology
Educational and museum value