Importance of South African Fossils (Topic 17)

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Total cards: 23•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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Front (Question)

What is a fossil record?

Back (Answer)

Fossil record the fossils have been discovered in a place and the information about them, such as their age

Front (Question)

What is a fossil site?

Back (Answer)

Fossil site is a place where fossils are found

Front (Question)

What is the name for human fossils?

Back (Answer)

Hominid

Front (Question)

How many fossil sites are there in South Africa?

Back (Answer)

There are over 30 fossil sites in south africa

Front (Question)

Where in South Africa do we find lots of fossil plants?

Back (Answer)

Fossil plants grow in wet places Kwazulu Natal & Karoo

Front (Question)

What important fossil animals have been found in South Africa?

Back (Answer)

Dinosaurs and the Coelacanth

Front (Question)

What insect has not changed in almost 200 million years?

Back (Answer)

The cockroach

Front (Question)

Name 3 kinds of fossil insects that have been found in the Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Lesotho

Back (Answer)

Dragonflies, Cockroaches, Crickets

Front (Question)

The AFRICAN DINOSAURS related to what modern day animal?

Back (Answer)

The african dinosaur is related to the modern day animals lizard, crocodile and birds

#10

Front (Question)

Tell me about the LESOTHOSARAURUS

Back (Answer)

He was discovered in Lesotho. Was the smallest dinasoaur, size of a chicken.

#11

Front (Question)

Tell me about the EUSKELOSAURUS

Back (Answer)

Lived in the Karoo220 million years ago4 - 9meters tallWeighed 1800kilograms

#12

Front (Question)

Tell me about the AULACEPHALODON

Back (Answer)

Was a mammal fossilCovered in furLived 250million years agoSize of a young hippopotamusFound in the Eastern Cape & Lesotho

#13

Front (Question)

What fossils were found near Cape Town. ( Lagebaanweg) about 5 million years ago.?

Back (Answer)

Carnivorous bearsSabre tooth catsShort nek giraffe

#14

Front (Question)

What kind of animal was the COELACANTH

Back (Answer)

Fish

#15

Front (Question)

Describe a COELACANTH

Back (Answer)

LARGE Fish, with 4 leg like fins.

#16

Front (Question)

What happened on December 1938

Back (Answer)

We thought the Coelacanth was extinct about a hundred million years ago.A fisherman caught a very strange fish in a net off East London on that date. It was a Coelacanth

#17

Front (Question)

Are there still Coelacanths living today?

Back (Answer)

Yes they are, living in the very deep waters off the coast of Kwazulu Natal

#18

Front (Question)

What is the area near Sterkfontein caves in Johannesburg called?

Back (Answer)

Cradle of humankind

#19

Front (Question)

Is the “Cradle of human kind” a world heritage site?

Back (Answer)

Yes

#20

Front (Question)

How old are some of the early Human bones found at Cradle of humankind?

Back (Answer)

5 million years

#21

Front (Question)

What did early human kind look like?

Back (Answer)

Ape-manSmaller brainsBigger teeth

#22

Front (Question)

Who is Mrs Ples?

Back (Answer)

Skull found in the Cradle of mankind. Thought it was women but later discovered it was a young boy

#23

Front (Question)

Who is Little Foot?

Back (Answer)

An almost complete ape-man skeleton.Found in Cradle of mankind. 3 - 4 million years old.