Australopithecus
Australopithecus is a genus of early hominins that existed in Africa during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. The genus Homo emerged within Australopithecus, as sister to e.g. Australipitecus sediba. Also the genera Paranthropus and Kenyanthropus emerged within the Australopithecus. Australopithecus is a member of the subtribe Australopithecina, which sometimes also includes Ardipithecus, though the term "australopithecine" is sometimes used to refer only to members of Australopithecus. Species include A. garhi, A. africanus, A. sediba, A. afarensis, A. anamensis, A. bahrelghazali and A. deyiremeda. Debate exists as to whether some Australopithecus species should be reclassified into new genera, or if Paranthropus and Kenyanthropus are synonymous with Australopithecus, in part because of the taxonomic inconsistency. The earliest known member of the genus, A. anamensis, existed in eastern Africa around 4.2 million years ago.
