Characteristics of Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens

Australopithecus lived from 4 million years ago to 6.5438+0 million years ago. 1924, a larva's skull fossil was found in Taotou, South Africa. Later, such fossils were found in other parts of East Africa and South Africa. Because they have prominent jaws, no chins, low skulls and backward foreheads, they look like apes; However, the brain volume is nearly 600 ml, and the transverse lines in the cranial cavity are also complicated. The brow ridge is not well developed, the teeth are closely arranged, and there are no huge canine teeth. The skull base hole is located in the front and the hip bone is wide, indicating that it can walk upright and approach people. Scholars divide these specimens into 4 genera and 6 species. With the deepening of research, some new generic names (such as "Kuiren", "Bianren" and "East Africa") have been abandoned. In recent years, scholars have agreed to merge into one genus, namely Australopithecus Australopithecus, which belongs to Anthropoceae. It can be divided into two types, namely, slender type and stout type. The former is represented by African Australopithecus A. Africa, while the latter is represented by robust Australopithecus A.robustus and Australopithecus Baumannii. In 1970s, the fossil Australopithecus Australopithecus, which lived 3.5 million years ago, was found in Afar, Ethiopia, Africa, and named as A.afarensis, commonly known as "Lucy". Some scholars, such as Donald Johanson of the United States, think that Australopithecus afarensis is not only the ancestor of australopithecus africanus, but also the ancestor of the early ape homo habilis. On the one hand, from Afa species through australopithecus africanus to Australopithecus robustus and Australopithecus bowman; On the other hand, he developed into Homo sapiens through homo habilis and Homo erectus. This is probably the general situation of the origin and development of human beings in the past 4 million years.