Key Features of Australopithecines

Question 1

What is their cranial capacity?

Answer 1

400 - 500cc

Question 2

What is the cranial shape?

Answer 2

Low and flat frontal

High degree of post orbital constriction

Low and narrow parietals

Smaller brain = smaller frontal and parietal lobes

Question 3

What is the cranial shape?

Part 2

Answer 3

Wide zygomatic arch

Prominent supra-orbital ridge

Flat nasal bridge (where glasses would sit if they had noses)

Question 4

What are the facial features?

Answer 4

Lower facial prognathism

Receding chin

Question 5

What are the dental features?

Answer 5

Moderate canines

Canine diastema “gap”

Shallow palate

U-shaped dental arcade

Question 6

What is the Ardipithecus exception?

Answer 6

Foot has grasping first digit

Question 7

What is the Australopithecus afarensis exception?

Answer 7

Early findings of earlier tool making to get meat/animal parts at 3.3 mya

Question 8

What is the Australopithecus garhi exception?

Answer 8

Was making tools to get animal parts