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Where were Australopithecus africanus fossils found?
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Australopithecus
Artist's rendering of Australopithecus afarensis, which lived from 3.8 to 2.9 million years ago.
Fossils of Australopithecus africanus have been discovered exclusively at sites in South Africa. The primary locations where these remains have been unearthed include:123
- Taung: The site where the first A. africanus fossil, known as the "Taung child," was discovered in 1924.123
- Sterkfontein: A site south of Johannesburg that has served as one of the richest sources of A. africanus fossils, with excavations yielding hundreds of specimens since 1936.43
- Makapansgat: A location where numerous A. africanus specimens were collected by expeditions between 1947 and 1962.13
These findings are significant to the study of human evolution, as they provide essential data on the anatomy and development of early hominins.143