This is one of my favorites; studied her for hours in grad school (now she's a he; who wudda thunk it!).
Enjoy!
Discovered By: R. Broom & J. Robinson 1947 (1)
Estimated Age of Fossil: 2.5 mya * determined by Stratigraphic, floral & faunal data (1, 4)
Species Name: Australopithecus africanus (1, 2)
Gender: Male (based on CAT scan of wisdom teeth roots) (1, 30) Female (original interpretation) (4)
Cranial Capacity: 485 cc (2, 4)
Information: No tools found in same layer (4)
Interpretation: Erect posture (based on forward facing foramen magnum) (8)
Nickname: Mrs. Ples (1)
See original source for notes:
http://www.mos.org/evolution/fossils/fossilview.php?fid=24
As previously stated, a succession of transitional fossils exists that link reptiles (Class Reptilia) and mammals (Class Mammalia). These particular reptiles are classifie as Subclass Synapsida. Presently, this is the best example of th e transformation of one major higher taxon into another. The morphologic changes that took place are well documented by fossils, beginning with animals essentially 100% reptilian and resulting in animals essentially 100% mammalian. Therefore, I have chosen this as the example to summarize in more detail (Table 1, Fig. 1).
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M. Eyes = ?
Nose = ?
Teeth incisors = ?
K. Eyes = ?
Nose = pointy
Teeth incisors = small
J. Eyes = Medium
Nose = stubby
Teeth incisors = BIG
I. Eyes = Medium
Nose = less stubby
Teeth incisors = big
H. Eyes = smaller
Nose = more blunt
Teeth incisors = smaller
G. Eyes = SMALL
Nose = Pointer
Teeth incisors = Skinny
F. Eyes = BIG
Nose = Blunt
Teeth incisors = Thin
E. Eyes = HUGE!
Nose = pointy, again
Teeth incisors = Bigger
D. Eyes = Smaller
Nose = Getting wider
Teeth incisors = Bigger: two!
C. Eyes = Huge, again!
Nose = broader
Teeth incisors = very small
B. Eyes = less huge
Nose = less broad
Teeth incisors = ??
A. Eyes = bigger again
Nose = rounded
Teeth incisors = small
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(The chart is from The Fossil Record: Evolution or "Scientific Creation" by Clifford A. Cuffey. It is on part 5 of a multipart article. The beginning of the article is here. )
After seeing these pix; do you?