Australopithecus (ìSouthern apeî)
First fossils discovered in South Africa in 1925, by Dr. Raymond Dart
Eight species named so far, between 4.2 million and 1.4 million years old
Two general categories of species: ìgracileî (slight build) and ìrobustî (heavier build)
With one known exception (A. bahrelghazali, discovered in Chad in 1995), all are confined to eastern Africa.