In fact, there is another larger type of "Australopithecus afarensis" alive in my era. Let me illustrate how big they are. I am 1m tall and weigh about 27kg; but they are 1.5m tall and weigh 55kg. They are much bigger than I am. The interesting point is that while the joints of their elbows are strong, their knee joints are a little weak. This is the reverse of the smaller forms like us. That's why most of the scholars estimate that the larger forms would have walked on their knuckles and are the ancestors of early apes. |
However, Donald C. Johanson, who discovered me, thinks that the large and small forms are the opposite sexes of the same kind. This means they would have been related. I'm sure in some kinds of animals, like gorillas, the size of males and females is extremely different. So, this large form is not my rival but could have been my husband. This is a point of dispute amongst scholars and remains a big mystery. Anyway, let me show you a picture of Australopithecus type P and type A. All of us are from the same "Australopithecus" family, but it is not certain that they are the descendants of the large family and small family of my era.This is the era of Homo habilis, a direct link in the history of human beings. When you look back at the history of man, they are the first you come across, and you can't miss them. |