Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct primate species, which to some, is considered to be the "missing link" in human evolution. Although A. afarensis is an older species than A. africanus, it is thought to be one of the closest ancestors to modern humans. The monumental remains known as "Lucy" stemmed from one of the most famous paleoanthropological finds in recent history. The potassium-argon dating found that the ancient species is thought to have lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. This discovery of the potential missing link remains the subject of heated discussions within many scholarly circles.
Distinguished Digs
1973: AL 129-1 Knee joint1
Discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia by Donald Johanson, the angle of the proximal tibia suggests a bipedal hominid.
1974: Afar Depression Site Lucy
Discovered by the International Afar Research Expedition (IARE), Lucy became one of the most notable finds in the history of human biological evolution.
1978: Laetoli Site Footprints
The Laetoli site is located in Laetoli, Tanzania and boasts the oldest evidence of a bipedal hominid species. The cluster of footprints found date from 3.4 to 3.5 million years ago.
2006: Afar Depression Site "Lucy's baby"2
Physical Attributes
Bipedal Locomotion
Evidence seen when examining pelvis structure, knee joint and foramen magnum
External Links
1 AL 129-1
2 Lucy's Baby
References
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