Australopithecus (first ape man) Australopithecus africanus appeared about 5 million years ago and is also called African ape man. He was about 1.5 meters high and had human as well as ape characters. Australopithecus africanus had also gave rise to man like apes called Australopithecus robustus and Australopithecus boisei along a separate line end that ends blindly