Final answer:
The Laetoli footprints are associated with Australopithecus afarensis, an early hominin species known for being bipedal. Discovered by Mary Leakey in the 1980s, these footprints indicate a modern striding gait and have provided great insights into early hominins and human evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Laetoli footprints are commonly associated with Australopithecus afarensis, an early hominin species. These footprints were discovered by Mary Leakey in the early 1980s in East Africa, specifically at the Laetoli site. At approximately 3.5 million years old, these well-preserved footprints provide compelling evidence of early hominin bipedalism, as they display a modern striding gait similar to that of Homo sapiens. The footprints also offer invaluable insights into the social behavior and body mass of the hominins that made them.
The biological significance of these footprints extends beyond their indication of bipedal locomotion; they allow researchers to understand more about the early human relatives that were contemporary with Australopithecus afarensis. Hominins such as Homo naledi, Ardipithecus, and other early species displayed varying adaptations for upright walking. The discovery of the Laetoli footprints marks an important point in paleoanthropology and our understanding of human evolution.