Reassessment of the Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Status of Australopithecus Africanus

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Ever since 1924 when the first specimen of Australopithecus was found and described by Dr. Raymond Dart in South Africa, this fossil has been of prime interest to anthropologists. As more specimens were found in subsequent years, interest increased largely because of controversies regarding its importance. The view that the fossil is an extremely important one in the history of our own species was slow in coming, but it is now a view held by virtually all anthropologists. Yet, the precise taxonomic and phylogenetic status of Australopithecus continues to stir debate in paleoanthropology. The significance of this proposal is that it proposes to carry out a comprehensive restudy of all the South African collections of the fossil species, Australopithecus africanus. The principal investigators will diagnose the species morphologically and test propositions about its placement in the fossil record by assessing patterns of cranial variation and define more clearly the phyletic affinities of the species.