I want to thank Brian R. for sending this to me. Brian writes “I think the Sasquatch is a larger version of these guys with some other things missed in along the way, as seems to happen in hominids and hominids alike. I strongly suspect the different types represent various hybridization events, possibly regionally and are now stabilized populations with some crossover. They are not really separate species, but maybe more like interrelated tribes (I don’t mean that in any anthropomorphic sense, but in an anthropological sense) of similar, but slightly different origins from the same base stock. It is that base stock I suspect derive from the ancient Australopithicines. This seems to be the case to some extent in humans with H. sapiens being the base stock and other species and archaic forms integrated into he H, sapiens base forming H, sapiens sapiens.
Many of these are now known as Paranthropus, rather than the older term ‘Australopithicus’. Don’t let the obscure name-changing tendencies of science throw you!”
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus africanus
Au. africanus was anatomically similar to Au. afarensis, with a combination of human-like and ape-like features. Compared to Au. afarensis, Au. africanus had a rounder cranium housing a larger brain and smaller teeth, but it also had some ape-like features including relatively long arms and a strongly sloping face that juts out from underneath the braincase with a pronounced jaw. Like Au. afarensis, the pelvis, femur (upper leg), and foot bones of Au. africanus indicate that it walked bipedally, but its shoulder and hand bones indicate they were also adapted for climbing,
Where Lived: Southern Africa (South Africa)
When Lived: About 3.3 to 2.1 million years ago
Year of Discovery: 1924
History of Discovery:
The Taung child, found in 1924, was the first to establish that early fossil humans occurred in Africa. After Prof. Raymond Dart described it and named the species Australopithecus africanus (meaning southern ape of Africa), it took more than 20 years for the scientific community to widely accept Australopithecus as a member of the human family tree.
Height: Males: average 4 ft 6 in (138 cm); Females: average 3 ft 9 in (115 cm)
Weight: Males: average 90 lbs (41 kg); Females: average 66 lb (30 kg)
We don’t know everything about our early ancestors—but we keep learning more! Paleoanthropologists are constantly in the field, excavating new areas, using groundbreaking technology, and continually filling in some of the gaps about our understanding of human evolution.
PATRICK
Aah. The question.
PATRICK
Brian R. Thx for the read. My thoughts too at a point.
You said it when you say we know so little!
Tyler D
I’ve read studies and seen a documentary where they were doing studies and comparisons between humans and chimpanzees. And they were looking for the answer of why chimpanzees have not evolved to be more domesticated, build their own civilizations, create their own language and etc like we have. Chimpanzees and human kind are very similar in a lot of ways and differentiate in many ways. But their final conclusion as to why chimpanzees have not evolved in the same direction as we have is that they are not capable of unique and original thinking as we are. They mimic and copy but a single chimpanzee can’t have their own ideas that are uniquely and specifically their own. And in the long run that is the little difference that ends up making the big difference between us and our close relative. So we are unique and different from the rest of the animal kingdom in the aspect that we can have our own original thinking and ideas
Gabriel H
…so a capacity for innovative thinking. Interesting – innovation is still the hallmark of our present day society. I’d be willing to bet that among chimpanzee populations there are the innovative thinkers from time to time. Those that are, are perhaps simply overrun by the masses. I wonder if chimpanzees would demonstrate a higher degree of innovation if they lived in much smaller groups
Tyler D
Gabriel H, I would have to say I agree. That from time to time there are chimpanzees that are much more intelligent than the rest of their group but unfortunately not that often. We live in a society where people strive for the next big thing so we’re constantly pushing each other to new levels which requires fresh ideas. And I feel that chimpanzees like most great apes only really do what is absolutely necessary for their survival. Not all the time but a great portion of the time. But as usual Gabriel H, you raise a great point
Rob N
and would that make most politicians as capable as a chimp?! lol
Tyler D
Lol
Rob N
on a more serious note – yeah their ability to think originally and uniquely is probably a question of degree, rather than they have none at all. One of them must have worked out how to use a stick to get at termites – admittedly it doesnt seem much to us but its something
JOHN E
MONKEYS ARE WHAT THEY ARE …WE HUMANS ARE IN A CLASS OF OUR OWN …AND BIG FOOT WELL THEY ARE IN A CLASS OF THERE OWN ..WITH OTHER SUBJECTS THAT ARE IN THERE OWN CLASS OF D N A ..LIKE THE DOG FACE ARE BIGFOOTERS … AND I THINK THE EAST COAST ONES LOOK MORE HUMAN BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE LIVED ON THE EAST COAST 100S OF YEARS AGO AND SOME MATED WITH HUMANS MORE SO ON THE EAST COAST THAN WEST …SOME ON THE WEST DO LOOK ALIKE AND THE TEXAS AND FAR SOUTH ONES ARE MEANER BECAUSE ITS A LOT HARDER WAY OF LIFE IN THE SWAMPS ECT. NOT LIKE THE WEST COAST WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD FRESH WATER AND LOTS OF FOOD AND MORE OF A RELAXED WAY OF LIFE FOR THEM HERE ON THE WEST SIDE..
Kim L
Thought I warned you guys about posting pictures of my old girlfriends?
It aint easy, courting “dirty Garys'” sister in the first place, now, I must be reminded of my lost love?
This is NOT how you treat friends!
pam
LOL Kim!
I was going to say “not fair to show my EX Husband!”
To err is human….so hmmm
Jay Acks
No K9s, no dice ,Sasquatch have K9 teeth and they are very prominent compared to the rest of his teeth. That I know for sure so im thinking more towards Giganto blacki or a branch off that tree.
PATRICK
Or perhaps some sasq have canines. Perhaps others not.
Donna F
That was very interesting, thanks for sharing.
tim c
and where we’re you when GOD created the heavens and the earth…?
Tennessquatch
I’m becoming increasingly convinced this is indeed what’s going on (though I suspect Meganthropus over Australopithecus/Paranthropus, but everything else, spot on).
Great post!
Stephanie G
Thank you for a more scientific discussion! We are still learning about chimps and other apes and what they can and can’t do. I’m a Boomer, and when I was in school, scientists still differentiated us from the other apes as being tool makers and users. Now we have discovered that is to be discarded as chimps DO make and use tools. I recently saw a study that I found very interesting. When a treat is hidden under one of three “nutshells” and shuffled, DOGS will take a finger pointed at the correct shell to find the treat. Chimps, however, cannot. I find that fascinating.