Changes

The '''australopithecines''' are now thought to be immediate ancestors of the genus ''Homo'', the group to which modern humans belong. Both australopithecines and ''Homo sapiens'' are part of the tribe Hominini, but recent data has brought into doubt the position of ''A. africanus'' as a direct ancestor of modern humans; it may well have been a dead-end cousin. The australopithecines were originally classified as either gracile or robust. The robust variety of ''Australopithecus'' has since been reclassified as ''Paranthropus'', although it is still regarded as a subgenus of ''Australopithecus'' by some authors.

The '''australopithecines''' are now thought to be immediate ancestors of the genus ''Homo'', the group to which modern humans belong. Both australopithecines and ''Homo sapiens'' are part of the tribe Hominini, but recent data has brought into doubt the position of ''A. africanus'' as a direct ancestor of modern humans; it may well have been a dead-end cousin. The australopithecines were originally classified as either gracile or robust. The robust variety of ''Australopithecus'' has since been reclassified as ''Paranthropus'', although it is still regarded as a subgenus of ''Australopithecus'' by some authors.

In the 1930s, when the robust specimens were first described, the ''Paranthropus'' genus was used. During the 1960s, the robust variety was moved into ''Australopithecus''. The recent trend has been back to the original classification as a separate genus.

In the 1930s, when the robust specimens were first described, the ''Paranthropus'' genus was used. During the 1960s, the robust variety was moved into ''Australopithecus''. The recent trend has been back to the original classification as a separate genus.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolution]

 

==Table of Human Evolution==

==Table of Human Evolution==

[[Image:Table_of_human_evolution_2.jpg]]

[[Image:Table_of_human_evolution_2.jpg]]