This paper will talk about genus by defining it. It will also provide a   comprehensive   description of genera Ardipithecus and Australopithecus with an aim distinguishing the genus Homo from them. Further, it will discuss how the first genus is detected in the record, the event of evolution that led to the origin of the genus and what is known about behavioral differences. Lastly, it will look at what becomes of the genus Homo after two million years ago and the effect of the origin of the human genus to Australopithecus.

A genus is a group, class or kind marked by common traits specifically in the category of biological classification ranking between the species and the family that structurally comprise of related species.

Ardipithecus being the earliest of the hominids was discovered in 1992. It was aged 4.4 to 4.2 million years ago with all their fossils found around Aramis in   the west of the Awash River in present day Ethiopia. Ardi is the oldest skeleton of the Hominid. Though it is unclear that this species positions as a direct ancestor of humans, the scientists still debate where it should be placed in the lineage.

Ardipithecus was a creature of the woodland that exhibited the following traits; short legs, long arms and small brain. Its feet and pelvis indicated a primitive form of two-legged walking on the ground. With big toes and long fingers that allowed their feet to grasp like an ape’s, Ardipithecus was capable of climbing a tree.

The genus Australopithecus, a different type of primates emerged about 4.4 million years ago. Paleontologists classified the first bipedal primates as hominids. These hominids had not yet developed skeletal features, tooth structures, and large brain that were identified as Homo. These creatures overlap the first Homo species because they predate. They were known as Australopithecus. They were of two types, robust and gracile.

Focusing on Australopithecus Anamnesis, this was discovered around Lake Turkana four million years ago. Australopithecus amanuensis evolved into Australopithecus Afarensis about 3.9 million years ago, which provides the first fossil evidence as the earliest and the first biped. Exhibiting bipedalism thus was the first species to walk upright. Australopithecus Anamnesis had unknown cranial capacity; the female height was 4’3? and male height was around 5 feet. Though they had similarities to the chimpanzee, their jaws and teeth are hominid. Retaining the ape-like dentition and crania, it further displayed advanced postcrania that were less hominid-like. On their legs, the joints indicated bipedal gait.

Homo sapiens are modern people since they are members of the genus homo. Human ancestors, the genus Australopithecus and human genus Homo have striking similarities in appearance, thus making them be placed in the same biological tribe. Though human beings are more efficient in locomotion, both genera are habitually upright in posture and bipedal. Early humans were relatively short and light in the frame like the Australopithecines, large bodies occurred later in humans. The difference between early humans and Australopithecus was noticed at the head, human beings significantly developed relatively smaller faces with progressive smaller jaws and teeth and larger brains. While Australopithecus did not develop cultural technologies to aid their survival, human beings did.