1. Australopithecus afarensis By: Kelsey Johnson

2.  The A. afarensis is one of the best known early hominid species.  They lived between 3.85 and 2.95 million years ago, in Eastern Africa.  This species survived for nearly 900 000 years; over four times as long as humans have been around. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ommons/2/23/Eastern-Africa-map.PNG

3.  The A. afarensis had both human and ape like characteristics. Flat nose and strongly projected lower jaw A brain about 1/3 the size of a human brain today Long arms with curved fingers for climbing trees Males were approximately 4 ft 11, weighing 92 lbs Females were approximately 3 ft 5, weighing 64 lbs http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human -fossils/species/australopithecus-afarensis

4. http://www.reptileevolution.com/australopithecus.ht m https://homininevolution.wikispaces.com/Australopithecus+afarensis http://www.reptileevolution.com/australopithecus.htm

5.  The species survived on a mainly plant-based diet, including leaves, roots, seeds, fruit, nuts and insects.  Paleontologists were able to determine this by studying the remains of their teeth.

6.  The A. afarensis had many adaptations to their environment that are very different from humans today. Their long arms and curved fingers provided them with an excellent climbing ability, so they were able to live both in the trees and on the ground. This adaption allowed them to survive for almost 1 million years as their environment and climate changed.

7.  Lucy is a partial skeleton of the A. afarenis.  It is the most famous fossil of this species.  Lucy was discovered by Donald Johanson on November 24, 1974.  She was found in Ethiopia at the site of Hadar. http://www.britannica.com/place /Hadar-anthropological-and- archaeological-site-Ethiopia https://en.wikiped ia.org/wiki/Donal d_Johanson

8. http://tucson.com/news/science/days-of-science-lucy-discoverer-s-institute-is-in- az/image_c0a86077-c648-59c2-8025-db57403792a8.html https://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Lucy_%28Australo pithecus%29

9.  The Laetoli footprints were discovered in Laetoli, Tanzania in 1978 by Mary Leakey and Paul Abell.  These footprints were most likely made by the A. afarensis.  The trail contains around 70 footprints and is approximately 88 ft long.

10. http://www.getty.edu/conserv ation/our_projects/field_proje cts/laetoli/laetoli_images.html http://2.bp.blogspot.com/- MGdHH498RlM/UV4y2AE7QeI/AAAAAAAAAKM/LklPnLtH OJQ/s1600/Laetoli+Footprints+%28Australopithecus+afar ensis%29+-+Tanzania,+3.6+Million+Years+Ago+2.jpg http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk /features/story.aspx?id=109 5&cookieConsent=A

11.  http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/australopithecus- afarensis http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/australopithecus- afarensis  http://archaeologyinfo.com/australopithecus-afarensis/ http://archaeologyinfo.com/australopithecus-afarensis/  http://australianmuseum.net.au/australopithecus-afarensis http://australianmuseum.net.au/australopithecus-afarensis  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/humans/humankind/d.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/humans/humankind/d.html  http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/species.html#afarensis http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/species.html#afarensis