Differentiate between Australopithecus and Modern man based on body hair.
Topic: Australopithecus and modern man — body hair
Answer
AUSTRALOPITHECUS had a body COVERED WITH THICK HAIR, like other apes.
MODERN MAN has scanty, fine body hair; the covering is greatly REDUCED and is now largely vestigial.
The question restricts the comparison to BODY HAIR, so keep to that. Writing about brain size or posture, however correct, does not answer it — a common way to lose marks on differentiate questions with a stated basis.
WHY THE HAIR WAS LOST is worth one closing line: with the discovery of fire and the use of clothing, a thick coat was no longer needed for warmth, so there was no selective advantage in keeping it.
Human body hair is now counted among the VESTIGIAL structures, along with the appendix, the coccyx and the ear muscles — and that is what connects this question to the rest of the chapter.
| Point of difference | Australopithecus | Modern man |
|---|---|---|
| Body hair | Thick hair covering the whole body | Sparse, fine hair; greatly reduced |
| Function | Provided warmth and protection | Largely vestigial; no longer needed |