New fossil discoveries in South Africa provide additional evidence that our early ancestors didn't follow a straight and narrow evolutionary path to become modern humans, according to a UC Davis anthropology professor who has studied human evolution for 25 years. After analyzing recent fossil material from Sterkfontein, South Africa, Henry McHenry and a colleague found an "interesting twist" to the pattern of human evolution. They report that recent finds of Australopithecus africanus, a possible human ancestor dating from 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago, display ape-like body proportions -- big arms, small legs -- and human-like teeth and skulls. In contrast, earlier Australopithecus species like the famous "Lucy," dating back some 3.6 million years ago, have more human-like body proportions, but primitive teeth and skulls. These differences are counterintuitive to most people's expectations of "human-like" limbs evolving with "human-like" skulls and teeth. McHenry suggests that limb proportions must have been more adaptable to changing environments than previously thought. He presented his findings last month at the annual meeting for the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.