Message #231276

[Kristin Moore]

    Early hominin fossils have been found only in Africa.  The majority of them were discovered in East and South Africa.  However, some also were found recently in Chad, which is located in North Central Africa.  Current evidence indicates that there were as many as 12 species of early hominins between 6 and 1.5 million years ago, but they did not all live at the same time.  The following species are the most widely accepted ones:

        1.     Australopithecus anamensis
        2.    Australopithecus afarensis
        3.    Australopithecus africanus
        4.    Australopithecus aethiopicus (or Paranthropus aethiopicus)
        5.    Australopithecus boisei (or Paranthropus boisei)
        6.    Australopithecus robustus (or Paranthropus robustus)

    The fossil record of early hominins is being added to by new important discoveries almost every year.  As a result, it is not yet clear how many species of them actually existed nor is it certain what their evolutionary relationship was to each other.  However, the broad outlines of this complex evolutionary history are already known and are summarized here.  To see a more complete listing of proposed species of early hominins and their immediate ancestors, select the button below.  It would be helpful to have a printout of this table in order to understand the discussion of the early hominins that follows.
      Table of Early Hominins and Their Immediate Ancestors