Australopithecus was fully ape, closer to chimp
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Claim
Australopithecus was fully ape, closer to chimpanzee. It was not human.
Source
- Anon, 1985. Life--How Did It Get Here? Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., pp. 93-94.
Response
- Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) is classified within the family Hominidae, which includes all species of Australopithecus and Homo. A. afarensis is classified as hominid due such traits as bipedal locomotion (leg and pelvis bones like humans). Its teeth were more human-like than a chimpanzee's. Its jaw shape is in between that of apes and humans.
- The genus Australopithecus is currently placed within the subtribe "Hominini," the same subtribes humans are in. If Australopithecus was considered to be closer to chimpanzees, the genus would have been placed within the subtribe "Panina." Given as how anatomical similarities between Australopithecus and Homo are far greater than the anatomical similarities between Australopithecus and Pan, Australopithecus will remain within Hominini.
- Technically speaking, humans are fully ape, as well.
- In fact current research into human evolution would suggest that A. afarensis was not our ancestor at all and that a different hominid Homo rudolfensis was our real ancestor.
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Links
- Foley, Jim, 1997. Creationist Arguments: Australopithecines. [1]
References
- Foley, 1997. (see above)
