Australopithecus

Introduction
The australopiths
- Early species and Australopithecus anamensis
  - Ardipithecus kadabba and Ar. ramidus
  - Australopithecus anamensis
- Australopithecus afarensis and Au. garhi
- Australopithecus africanus
- Australopithecus sediba
- Australopithecus aethiopicus
- Australopithecus robustus and Australopithecus boisei
Relationship to Homo
- Quality of the fossil record
- Changes in anatomy
  - Bipedalism
  - Transition to Homo

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Australopithecus afarensis

replica skull of Lucy

Where did human evolution begin?

hominid fossil sites in sub-Saharan Africa

australopith fossil locations

Replica of a Kenyanthropus platyops skull

Laetoli footprints

reconstructed replica of the Taung skull

reconstructed replica of “Mrs. Ples,” an Australopithecus africanus skull

For Students

Lateral view of an Australopithecus africanus skull found at Sterkfontein, S.Af.

Australopithecus summary

Australopithecus: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 21, 2025

News •

Remarkable Fossil from South Africa May Be New Species of Australopithecus: Study • Dec. 17, 2025, 3:50 AM ET (Sci.News)

Photos and Videos

Australopithecus afarensis

replica skull of Lucy

hominid fossil sites in sub-Saharan Africa

australopith fossil locations

Replica of a Kenyanthropus platyops skull

Laetoli footprints

reconstructed replica of the Taung skull

reconstructed replica of “Mrs. Ples,” an Australopithecus africanus skull

Paranthropus boisei skull

Where did human evolution begin?

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

First Family Omo remains Australopithecus afarensis Australopithecus africanus Australopithecus bahrelghazali Australopithecus anamensis Australopithecus garhi Paranthropus aethiopicus Paranthropus robustus Paranthropus boisei dinosaur Homo erectus Neanderthal Homo habilis pterosaur Denisovan Cro-Magnon ichthyosaur Homo floresiensis Homo heidelbergensis

Key People

Louis S.B. Leakey

Louis Leakey

Kenyan archaeologist and anthropologist

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Animal Group Names