Australopithecus africanus Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Australopithecus africanus Temporal range: Pliocene

Natural endocranial cast (485 cm3) (Sts 60), articulated with a fragmentary skull still embedded in breccia (TM 1511)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Family:	Hominidae
Genus:	†Australopithecus
Binomial name
†Australopithecus africanus Dart, 1925

Australopithecus africanus was an important early human ancestor. It lived in South Africa a very long time ago. Scientists believe it lived between 3.03 and 2.04 million years ago. The discovery of its fossils in 1925 helped us understand more about how humans evolved.

Discovering Australopithecus africanus
- The Taung Child
What Australopithecus africanus Looked Like
- Teeth and Jaw
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Discovering Australopithecus africanus

The first Australopithecus africanus fossil was found by a scientist named Raymond Dart in 1925. He discovered a very well-preserved skull of a young australopithecine. This young individual was likely about three to four years old.

The Taung Child

This special skull is known as the Taung Child. It was named after Taung, the place in South Africa where it was discovered. The Taung Child skull is one of the most complete A. africanus skulls ever found. It gave scientists many clues about these ancient relatives.

What Australopithecus africanus Looked Like

Australopithecus africanus had a face that was somewhat "dish-shaped." This means their face was a bit flatter in the middle.

Teeth and Jaw

They had large teeth compared to modern humans. While their front teeth were bigger than ours, their back teeth were especially large. These strong back teeth were used for grinding food. Male A. africanus had a ridge on top of their skulls called a sagital crest. Large muscles were attached to this ridge. These muscles helped support their heavy jaws, which were needed for chewing tough foods.