Editing Human evolution (section)

=== Genus ''Australopithecus'' ===
{{Main|Australopithecus}}
[[File:Bienvenida al Museo de Lucy.jpg|thumb|upright|Reconstruction of "[[Lucy (Australopithecus)|Lucy]]"]]
The genus ''[[Australopithecus]]'' evolved in eastern Africa around 4&nbsp;million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct 2&nbsp;million years ago. During this time period various forms of australopiths existed, including ''[[Australopithecus anamensis]]'', ''[[Australopithecus afarensis|A. afarensis]]'', ''[[Australopithecus sediba|A. sediba]]'', and ''[[Australopithecus africanus|A. africanus]]''. There is still some debate among academics whether certain African hominid species of this time, such as ''[[Australopithecus robustus|A. robustus]]'' and ''[[Australopithecus boisei|A. boisei]]'', constitute members of the same genus; if so, they would be considered to be "robust australopiths" while the others would be considered "gracile australopiths". However, if these species do indeed constitute their own genus, then they may be given their own name, ''Paranthropus''.
* ''[[Australopithecus]]'' (4–1.8 Ma), with species ''[[Australopithecus anamensis|A. anamensis]]'', ''[[Australopithecus afarensis|A. afarensis]]'', ''[[Australopithecus africanus|A. africanus]]'', ''[[Australopithecus bahrelghazali|A. bahrelghazali]]'', ''[[Australopithecus garhi|A. garhi]]'', and ''[[Australopithecus sediba|A. sediba]]'';
* ''[[Kenyanthropus]]'' (3–2.7 Ma), with species ''[[Kenyanthropus|K. platyops]]'';
* ''[[Paranthropus]]'' (3–1.2 Ma), with species ''[[Paranthropus aethiopicus|P. aethiopicus]]'', ''[[Paranthropus boisei|P. boisei]]'', and ''[[Paranthropus robustus|P. robustus]]''
A new proposed species ''[[Australopithecus deyiremeda]]'' is claimed to have been discovered living at the same time period of ''[[Australopithecus afarensis|A. afarensis]]''. There is debate whether ''[[Australopithecus deyiremeda|A. deyiremeda]]'' is a new species or is ''[[Australopithecus afarensis|A. afarensis]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zimmer |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Zimmer |date=May 27, 2015 |title=The Human Family Tree Bristles With New Branches |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/science/adding-branches-to-the-human-family-tree.html |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/science/adding-branches-to-the-human-family-tree.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |url-access=limited |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=May 30, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''Australopithecus prometheus'', otherwise known as [[Little Foot]] has recently been dated at 3.67&nbsp;million years old through a new dating technique, making the genus ''Australopithecus'' as old as ''afarensis''.<ref>Gardner., Elizabeth K.; Purdue University (April 1, 2015). "New instrument dates old skeleton before 'Lucy'; 'Little Foot' 3.67 million years old". Science Daily. Retrieved April 3, 2015.</ref> Given the opposable big toe found on Little Foot, it seems that the specimen was a good climber. It is thought given the night predators of the region that he built a nesting platform at night in the trees in a similar fashion to chimpanzees and gorillas.
[[File:Chimp's Nest.jpg|thumb|Chimpanzee nest. Later [[hominin]]s may have developed [[Niche construction|niche creating]] shelter-building traditions from such earlier [[Nest-building in primates|nest-building practices]].]]