Australopithicus africanus is both larger in body size and brain than the earlier A. afarensis, but the configuration of its brain is still more ape-like than human; thus it is classified as an ape. The species, which is represented by several well-preserved skulls and numerous fragmentary remains of individuals, lived from before 3 million years ago to approximately 2 million years ago, and was a contemporary of early human species-- perhaps competing with early humans. Closely related species survived till about 1 million years ago. Some scholars regard A. africanus as a direct ancestor of human beings, while others see this species as representing a related or branch line of hominids--"cousins" of ancestral humans, who evolved, thrived for a time, and then disappeared about 1 million years ago.

The artist's reconstruction of A. africanus on the right shows the species' erect posture and bi-pedalism, and it places tools (weapons) of wood and bone in this male speciman's hands. Primitive stone choppers and flakes have been discovered at sites which are potassium-argon dated to 3.1 and 2.5 million years ago. However, no stone tools have been found directly associated with the gracile form shown here.