<P> Australopithecus afarensis ( Latin : `` Southern ape from Afar '' ) is an extinct hominin that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago in Africa and possibly Europe . A. afarensis was slenderly built , like the younger Australopithecus africanus . A. afarensis is thought to be more closely related to the genus Homo ( which includes the modern human species Homo sapiens ) , whether as a direct ancestor or a close relative of an unknown ancestor , than any other known primate from the same time . Some researchers include A. afarensis in the genus Praeanthropus . </P>
during which time period did hominins from the genus australopithecus live quizlet
between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago