Australopithecus

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The gracile australopithecines (of the genus Australopithecus; Latin australis "of the south", Greek pithekos "ape") are a group of extinct hominids that were closely related to humans.

[change] Evolution

Gracile australopithecines shared several traits with modern apes and humans. They were widespread throughout Eastern and Northern Africa 3-3.9 million years ago. The earliest evidence for this species was found at a site of Laetoli in Tanzania. These footprints found are similar to those of modern humans. They have been positively dated as 3.7 million years old. Until recently, the footprints were categorized as Australopithecine. This is because the species was thought to be the only pre-human known to have existed in that region at that time. However, some scholars have considered reclassifying them under a very early species of the genus Homo.