7. Give reason : Australopitheus is described as man with ape brain.
Answers
The genus Australopithecus is a collection of hominin species that span the time period from 4.18 to about 2 million years ago. Australopiths were terrestrial bipedal ape-like animals that had large chewing teeth with thick enamel caps, but whose brains were only very slightly larger than those of great apes. As characterized by the fossil evidence, members of Australopithecus bore a combination of humanlike and apelike traits. They were similar to modern humans in that they were bipedal (that is, they walked on two legs), but, like apes, they had small brains. Their canine teeth were smaller than those found in apes, and their cheek teeth were larger than those of modern humans
(1) Australopithecus can be considered as a connecting link between ape and man due to the following ape-like and man-like characteristics shown by it :
(2) The ape-like characteristics of Australopithecus :
(i) the jaws and teeth were large than those of modern man.
(ii) The face was prognathous, i.e. it had a muzzle like slope.
(iii) The chin was absent.
(iv) The eye-brow ridges projected over the eyes.
(v) Their cranial capacity ranged from 450-600 c.c.
(3) The man-like characteristics of Australopithecus :
(i) Australopithecus was about four feet in hight.
(ii) It walked nearly or completely straight due to erect posture.
(iii) The vertebral column had a distinct lumbar curve with broad basin-like pelvic girdle.
(iv) Dentition was man-like with the smoothly rounded parabolic dental arch.
(v) A simian gap was absent.
(vi) Australopithecus is, therefore, rightly described as a man with ape brain.