Australopithecus is an extinct primate that belonged to the genus of early Hominins that lived in Africa throughout the Pleistocene and Pliocene periods. They were bipedal terrestrial ape-like animals having massive teeth and thick enamel caps, as well as brains that were slightly larger than apes'.
Australopithecines were described as being short and stocky, with ape-like traits like broad waistlines, chimp-like faces, and lengthy limbs. Males were slightly taller than females, with adult males standing around 1.37 meters tall and females standing around 1.14 meters tall. They could also communicate with motions and vocalizations.
What did they consume?
They ate largely leaves, fruits, nuts, roots, seeds, insects, and tiny vertebrates like lizards, rodents, and other small vertebrates.
How did they get around?
Australopithecines were able to walk upright on two legs, climb trees like apes using their arms to pull themselves up, and swing from one branch to the next with ease, just like humans.
Their skeletal characteristics indicate that they walk on the ground more frequently, despite their inability to travel large distances more efficiently.
What city did they call home?
They were able to live in a variety of conditions or ecosystems due to their abilities to walk and climb trees. They hung from trees in dense forest areas and went through Africa's parched grassland.
How did they become extinct?
Though the exact cause of australopithecine extinction is unknown, it is thought to have occurred around 1.4 million years ago as a result of increased drought intensity during the glacial Maxima
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