australopithecine

aus·tra·lo·pith·e·cine  (ô-strl-pth-sn, -sn)

n.

Any of several extinct humanlike primates of the genus Australopithecus, known chiefly from Pleistocene fossil remains found in southern and eastern Africa.

adj.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of these extinct humanlike primates.

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[From New Latin Austrlopithcus, genus name : Latin austrlis, southern; see austral¹ + pithcus, ape (from Greek pithkos).]

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australopithecine  (ô-strl-pth-sn)

Any of several early hominids of the genus Australopithecus of eastern and southern Africa, known from fossils dating from about 4 million to about 1 million years ago. The most complete australopithecine skeleton found so far, named Lucy by its discoverers, is estimated to be just over 3 million years old. While many scientists believe that australopithecines are ancestors of modern humans, not enough fossils have yet been found to establish any direct descent.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	australopithecine - any of several extinct humanlike bipedal primates with relatively small brains of the genus Australopithecus; from 1 to 4 million years ago hominid - a primate of the family Hominidae Australopithecus, genus Australopithecus - extinct genus of African hominid Australopithecus afarensis - fossils found in Ethiopia; from 3.5 to 4 million years ago Australopithecus africanus - gracile hominid of southern Africa; from about 3 million years ago Australopithecus boisei - large-toothed hominid of eastern Africa; from 1 to 2 million years ago genus Zinjanthropus, Zinjanthropus - genus to which Australopithecus boisei was formerly assigned Australopithecus robustus - large-toothed hominid of southern Africa; from 1.5 to 2 million years ago; formerly Paranthropus genus Paranthropus, Paranthropus - former classification for Australopithecus robustus
Adj.	1.	australopithecine - of or belonging to the hominid genus Australopithecus