The cranium of Sts 5 ('Mrs Ples') in relation to sexual dimorphism of Australopithecus africanus

摘要

Fossil Sts 5 ('Mrs Ples') is a Plio-Pleistocene cranium assigned to Australopithecus africanus. It was discovered in April 1947 by Robert Broom and John Robinson at Sterkfontein in the Gauteng Province, situated in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. 1 It is thought to date to at least 2.1 mya 2-4 , probably closer to 2.5 mya. Broom had initially referred to such specimens from Sterkfontein as Plesianthropus (where 'plesi' refers to 'almost', and 'anthropus' to 'human').