Final answer:
The earliest human-like creatures from 3 to 4 million years ago in Africa were called Australopithecus. Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis also played significant roles in human evolution around 2.5 million years ago, with advancing tool-making skills and larger brains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest human-like creatures that flourished in eastern and southern Africa 3 to 4 million years ago are known as Australopithecus. These hominins evolved approximately four million years ago and included several species such as Australopithecus afarensis, known for the famous fossil 'Lucy', and Australopithecus africanus. They are particularly important as they are thought to be ancestral to the genus Homo, to which modern humans belong.
Homo habilis is another crucial early human species that lived about 2.5 million years ago, often considered to be the first species in the genus Homo. The species Homo rudolfensis also existed around the same time and region. These early humans were adept at making stone tools and had a larger brain compared to chimpanzees.
By around 1.8 million years ago, a species with a more modern form, Homo ergaster, also lived in Africa. The fossil records of these early human species enhance our understanding of human evolution, providing insights into our ancestral lineage.