|
|
A. boisei |
A. robustus |
|
Height |
1.2 - 1.4 metres |
1.1 - 1.3 metres |
|
Weight |
40 - 80 kg |
40 - 80 kg |
|
Cranial Volume |
410 - 530 cc |
530 cc |
|
Known Date |
2.6 - 1.2 million years ago |
2.0 - 1.0 million years ago |
|
Distribution |
Eastern Africa |
Southern Africa |
|
Physique |
Very heavy build; relatively long arms |
Very heavy build; relatively long arms |
|
Skull form |
Prominent crests on top and back of skull; very long, broad, flattish face; strong facial buttressing |
Crest on top of skull; long, broad, flattish face; moderate facial buttressing |
|
Jaws/Teeth |
Very thick jaws; small incisors and canines; large, molar-like premolars; very large molars |
Very thick jaws; small incisors and canines; large, molar-like premolars; very large molars |
|
Sexual Dimorphism |
Marked sexual dimorphism |
Moderate sexual dimorphism |
In then 1930s, the first robust australopithecine was found by
Robert Broom
, who at the time was working on new searches with
Raymond Dart � the discoverer of the first example of Australopithecus africanus. He found specimens of early hominid fossils that were simply built too heavily for them to be of the same type as A. africanus. Therefore, he grouped them together and gave them a new species name � Australopithecus robustus. There is still however a lively debate over the genus name and this species is also often referred to as Paranthropus robustus. A common perception is that the robust species of australopithecine differs sufficiently from the gracile type to warrant a different genus name.