[Coyoteman]

This "transitional link" goes backwards to fill a gap between Lucy and an earlier species. It gets further from us, not closer. When they find a transitional link that results in Humans, you can act as if you are really superior enough to belittle others...

This chart may help explain the position of this find.

Its not so much a missing link as another piece of evidence. There are a lot of pieces of evidence, and the few gaps between the different known specimens are getting smaller.

Source: http://wwwrses.anu.edu.au/environment/eePages/eeDating/HumanEvol_info.html

[Conservative Texan Mom]

I have another question. it's probably a silly one. On the chart, some skulls have two branches off of them. Of those, generally one of the skulls keeps branching, and the other doesn't. Does this indicate an extinction of that line?
Thanks again.