( os-trail-oh-pith ah-cuss ah-far-en sis)A fossil species from East Africa, the oldest well-established species in the hominid line. Dated from 4 to 3 mya, afarensis had a small, chimp-sized brain but walked fully upright.

fossils found in Ethiopia; from 3.5 to 4 million years ago

Homo habilis Pleistocene

4 to 2.7 million years ago

An early Australopithecine, present in Africa between 3 and 4 million years ago.  Australopithecus africanus - A middle period Australopithecine, present in Africa between 2 and 3.5 million years ago.

An early australopithecine species that was bipedal; known fossils date between 3.6 and 2.9 mya (for example, Lucy).

Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid which lived between 3.9 to 3 million years ago. In common with the younger Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis was slenderly built. It is widely believed that A. afarensis is the ancestor of the genus Homo, which includes the modern human species, Homo sapiens.