the earliest hominines

“The Earliest Hominines” The first undoubted hominine discovered thus far is Ardipithecus ramidus, which was found in 1994 and is known from 17 fragments of teeth and bone. It dates to approximately 4.4 million years ago. Thought to be the descendent genus of Ardipithecus is the genus Australopithecus; individuals of this genus were bipeds while on the ground and had ape-like brains and dexterous hands. There are at least six species of Australopithecus: A. anamensis, A. afarensis, A. …

…Perhaps for: carrying foraged foods from place to place carrying infants so that fatal falls from mother were minimized; faster food gathering and longer treks with less fatigue; spotting food sources or predators from a distance with the increased height and visual perspective of standing on the hind limbs; or freeing hands to fend off predators by using natural objects as weapons. In any case, the bipedal adaptation was likely the result of several factors.