The brain of Australopithecus afarensis was about one-third the size of the average modern human brain, or about the same size as a modern ape's brain. Males and females varied
significantly in body size, with males standing approximately 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighing
100 pounds and females standing about 3 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 62 pounds.
Males also typically had large crests on top of their skulls: females did not.
Homo habills, is known as "handy man", because of the wealth of tools that have been found
with its fossils. The average H. habilis brain was considerably larger than the average
Australopithecus brain. The brain shape is also more human-like. H. habilis skulls also lacked a
prominent cranial crest. The bulge of Broca's area, essential for speech, is visible in one H.
habilis brain cast, indicating that the species may have been capable of basic speech. The
average H. habils individual is thought to have been about five feet tall and 100 pounds,
although females may have been smaller.
Milions of years ago
prese
MA
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Hominids
A
A
Which of the following staternents is a correct comparison of Australopithecus afarensis and
Homo habilis?
A. As hominids used more tools, the hominid brain size decreased.
B. As the crest on top of the hominid skull grew, the brain capacity increased.
c. As hominids used more tools, the average body size of hominids decreased.
D. As the hominid's brain increased in size, hominids developed the ability to communicate
with language.