Australopithecus africanus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australopithecus africanusTemporal range: Pliocene
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| Natural endocranial cast (485 cm3) (Sts 60), articulated with a fragmentary skull still embedded in breccia (TM 1511) | |
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| †Australopithecus africanus Dart, 1925
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Australopithecus africanus was first discovered by Raymond Dart in 1925. He found a well-preserved skull of a young australopithecine, three to four years old. This skull is often called the Taung Child, after Taung, South Africa where it was found. It is perhaps the most complete skull of A. africanus known. Based on current data A. africanus dates to between 3.03 and 2.04 million years ago.
Australopithecus africanus had a dish shaped facial structure with teeth that were large compared to modern humans. While it had larger front teeth compared to the back, the emphasis was on back tooth grinding. Males had a sagital crest on the tops of their skulls. Large muscles were attached to this ridge that helped to support the heavy jaw.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Cast of Taung child from the collection of the University of the Witwatersrand
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Mrs. Ples at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria
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Locations of A. africanus discoveries
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Reconstructed skull of Mrs. Ples at the Beijing Museum of Natural History
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Sts 14 sacrum
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Taung child skull noting raptor-inflicted damage to the eye sockets
See also
In Spanish: Australopithecus africanus para niños
