Why Are Australopithecus Important?

This species is one of the best known of our ancestors due to a number of major discoveries including a set of fossil footprints and a fairly complete fossil skeleton of a female nicknamed 'Lucy'.

Why is Australopithecus afarensis important?

When this small-bodied, small-brained hominin was discovered, it proved that our early human relatives habitually walked on two legs. Its story began to take shape in late November 1974 in Ethiopia, with the discovery of the skeleton of a small female, nicknamed Lucy.

What is unique about the Australopithecus?

As characterized by the fossil evidence, members of Australopithecus bore a combination of humanlike and apelike traits. They were similar to modern humans in that they were bipedal (that is, they walked on two legs), but, like apes, they had small brains.