https://wikimd.com/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Australopithecus_sedibaAustralopithecus sediba - Revision history2026-04-24T16:53:43ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.44.2https://wikimd.com/index.php?title=Australopithecus_sediba&diff=6017796&oldid=prevPrab: CSV import2024-11-28T15:27:14Z<p>CSV import</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Extinct species of hominin}}<br />
{{Taxobox<br />
| name = Australopithecus sediba<br />
| fossil_range = [[Pleistocene]]<br />
| image = Australopithecus sediba skull.jpg<br />
| image_caption = Skull of ''Australopithecus sediba''<br />
| regnum = [[Animalia]]<br />
| phylum = [[Chordata]]<br />
| classis = [[Mammalia]]<br />
| ordo = [[Primates]]<br />
| familia = [[Hominidae]]<br />
| subfamilia = [[Homininae]]<br />
| tribus = [[Hominini]]<br />
| genus = ''[[Australopithecus]]''<br />
| species = '''''A. sediba'''''<br />
| binomial = ''Australopithecus sediba''<br />
| binomial_authority = [[Berger et al.]], 2010<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''''Australopithecus sediba''''' is an extinct species of [[hominin]] that lived approximately 1.98 million years ago during the early [[Pleistocene]] in what is now South Africa. The species was first described in 2010 following the discovery of fossils at the [[Malapa Fossil Site]] in the [[Cradle of Humankind]], a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]].<br />
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== Discovery ==<br />
The first fossils of ''Australopithecus sediba'' were discovered in 2008 by a team led by [[Lee Berger]], a paleoanthropologist at the [[University of the Witwatersrand]]. The initial discovery included a partial skeleton of a juvenile male, designated as MH1, and a partial skeleton of an adult female, designated as MH2. These fossils were found in a collapsed cave system at Malapa, which provided excellent preservation conditions.<br />
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== Morphology ==<br />
''Australopithecus sediba'' exhibits a unique combination of [[primitive]] and [[derived traits]]. The species has a small cranial capacity, similar to other australopiths, but shows more advanced features in the pelvis and lower limbs, suggesting bipedal locomotion. The hands of ''A. sediba'' are also notable for their precision grip, which may indicate tool use.<br />
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=== Skull and Dentition ===<br />
The skull of ''Australopithecus sediba'' is small, with a brain size of about 420 to 450 cubic centimeters. The face is less prognathous than that of earlier australopiths, and the teeth are relatively small with a modern-like dental arcade.<br />
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=== Postcranial Skeleton ===<br />
The postcranial skeleton of ''A. sediba'' shows adaptations for both arboreal and terrestrial locomotion. The pelvis is broad and similar to that of early [[Homo]], while the legs and feet suggest a bipedal gait. However, the arms are long, indicating that climbing was still an important part of their behavior.<br />
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== Significance ==<br />
The discovery of ''Australopithecus sediba'' has provided valuable insights into the evolution of early hominins. The mix of traits seen in ''A. sediba'' suggests it may represent a transitional form between the australopiths and the genus ''[[Homo]]''. This has implications for understanding the origins of bipedalism and the development of traits associated with modern humans.<br />
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== Also see ==<br />
* [[Australopithecus afarensis]]<br />
* [[Australopithecus africanus]]<br />
* [[Homo habilis]]<br />
* [[Cradle of Humankind]]<br />
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{{Australopithecus}}<br />
{{Hominini}}<br />
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[[Category:Australopithecus|sediba]]<br />
[[Category:Prehistoric Africa]]<br />
[[Category:Transitional fossils]]<br />
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 2010]]</div>Prab