The Human Family Tree - Homo Group

 THE HOMO GROUP OF HUMAN ANCESTORS


The majority of the individuals of our species Homo resemble modern humans significantly more than the australopithecines did. The extant species Homo sapiens (modern humans) and several extinct species regarded as either ancestral to or closely related to modern humans, such as Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis, are included in the genus Homo, which developed from the genus Australopithecus. Homo habilis is the genus's earliest member, with records dating back little over 2 million years. Homo, along with the genus Paranthropus, is most likely related to Australopithecus africanus, which had previously diverged from the Pan, or chimpanzee, branch.

See how the evolution of humans began by reading about the Homo species listed below:

1.  Homo habilis


Nickname: Handy Man
Discovery Date: 1960
Where Lived: Eastern and Southern Africa
When Lived: 2.4 million to 1.4 million years ago
Height: average 3 ft 4 in - 4 ft 5 in (100 - 135 cm)
Weight: average 70 lbs (32 kg)

OVERVIEW:

This species, one of the first members of the genus Homo, had a smaller face and teeth compared to Australopithecus or other older human species, as well as a somewhat larger braincase. It does, however, still have some ape-like characteristics, such as lengthy arms and a fairly prognathic face.

Its name, "handy man," was given to it in 1964 because it was believed that this species represented the first creator of stone tools.  The first stone tools are currently dated to be a little older than the earliest evidence of the genus Homo.


2. Homo rudolfensis



Discovery Date: 1986
Where Lived: Eastern Africa (northern Kenya, possibly northern Tanzania and Malawi)
When Lived: About 1.9 million to 1.8 million years ago

OVERVIEW:

The sole truly excellent fossil of this Homo rudolfensis is KNM-ER 1470, which was discovered in Kenya's Lake Turkana basin at Koobi Fora. It has one particularly important characteristic: a 775 cubic centimeter braincase, which is significantly larger than the high end of H. braincase size of habilis. The same location has at least one other braincase that likewise has such a great cranial capacity. 

Homo rudolfensis, which was once thought to be Homo habilis, differs from that species in that it had a larger braincase, a longer face, and larger molar and premolar teeth. However, because of the final two characteristics, some researchers are still debating whether this creature should actually be classified as an Australopithecus, albeit one with a huge brain.

3. Homo Erectus


Discovery Date: 1891
Where Lived: Northern, Eastern, and Southern Africa; Western Asia (Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia); East Asia (China and Indonesia)
When Lived: Between about 1.89 million and 110,000 years ago
Height: Ranges from 4 ft 9 in - 6 ft 1 in (145 - 185 cm)
Weight: Ranges from 88 - 150 lbs (40 - 68 kg)

OVERVIEW:

Early African Homo erectus fossils, also known as Homo ergaster, are the earliest examples of early humans with proportions similar to modern humans, including relatively long, lengthened legs and short arms in comparison to the size of the torso. These characteristics, including the capacity to walk and possibly sprint for great distances, are considered adaptations to a life lived on the ground, indicating the loss of earlier tree-climbing capabilities. Note the larger braincase relative to the size of the face compared to earlier fossil humans. The 'Turkana Boy', a well-preserved skeleton (but missing nearly all the hand and foot bones), is the most complete fossil specimen of this species and is thought to be about 1.6 million years old.  

According to a microscopic examination of his teeth, he developed at a rate akin to a big ape. The fact that this species took care of the elderly and frail is supported by fossil data. The earliest handaxes, the first significant advancement in stone tool making, are sometimes linked to the arrival of Homo erectus in the fossil record.

4. Homo Heidelbergensis



Discovery Date: 1908
Where Lived: Europe; possibly Asia (China); Africa (eastern and southern)
When Lived: About 700,000 to 200,000 years ago
Height: Males: average 5 ft 9 in (175 cm); Females: average 5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Weight: Males: average 136 lbs (62 kg); Females: average 112 lbs (51 kg)

OVERVIEW:

Compared to earlier early human species, this one featured a flatter face, a larger braincase, and a highly prominent browridge. The small, broad bodies of this early human species were probably an adaptation for retaining heat as they were the first to live in frigid climates. It was the first early human species to regularly hunt huge animals, living at a time when fire was clearly controlled for the first time and wooden spears were used. This early human species made history by being the first to create shelters, making straightforward homes out of wood and rock.

5. Homo neanderthalensis




Nickname: Neanderthal
Discovery Date: 1829Where Lived: Europe and southwestern to central Asia
When Lived: About 400,000 - 40,000 years ago
Height: Males: average 5 ft 5 in (164 cm); Females: average 5 ft 1 in (155 cm)
Weight: Males: average 143 lbs (65 kg); Females: average 119 lbs (54 kg)

OVERVIEW:

Neanderthals are the closest extinct relative of modern humans. Their wide central region of the face, angled cheek bones, and enormous nose for moisturizing and warming cold, dry air are some of the distinguishing characteristics of their skulls. They had shorter, stockier bodies than we had as another adaptation to surviving in frigid climates. However, in proportion to their stronger bodies, their minds were often larger than ours and were on par with it.

Neanderthals were excellent hunters of huge animals who also consumed plant foods. They also made and used a variety of sophisticated tools, managed fire, lived in shelters, made and wore clothes, and occasionally created symbolic or artistic objects. Neanderthals are known to have intentionally buried their deceased and, on rare occasions, even marked their graves with gifts like flowers. This complex and symbolic behavior had never been used by any other monkeys or earlier human species.

The Neanderthal Genome Project is one of the fascinating new fields of study into the origins of humans. DNA has been retrieved from more than a dozen Neanderthal remains, all from Europe.


6. Homo floresiensis




Nickname: the Hobbit
Discovery Date: 2003
Where Lived: Asia (Indonesia)
When Lived: About 100,000 – 50,000 years ago
Height: 106 cm (3 ft 6 in) - estimate from a female skeleton
Weight: 30 kg (66 lbs) - estimate from a female skeleton

OVERVIEW:

Homo floresiensis (also known as the "Hobbit") remains, one of the most recent early human species to be identified, have only ever been unearthed on the Indonesian island of Flores. The remains of H. floresiensis are believed to have existed between 100,000 and 60,000 years ago, and the age of the stone tools they produced ranges from 190,000 to 50,000 years. H. Floresiensis people were about 3 feet 6 inches tall, had small brains, huge teeth for their height, shrugged-forward shoulders, no chins, receding foreheads, and relatively large feet because of their short legs. H. Despite having a small head and body, H. Floresiensis produced and employed stone tools, engaged in small elephant and large rodent hunting, survived encounters with predators like the enormous Komodo dragons, and may have even used fire.  

H. floresiensis's short stature and small brain may have been the product of island dwarfism, an evolutionary condition brought on by prolonged isolation on a remote island with scant food supplies and no predators. The now extinct pygmy elephants of Flores displayed the same adaptability. The Indonesian island of Flores is home to the smallest known species of Homo and Stegodon elephant.  However, some researchers are now taking into account the idea that Homo floresiensis' ancestors may have been young when they first arrived in Flores.


7. Homo sapiens


Where Lived: Evolved in Africa, now worldwide
When Lived: About 300,000 years ago to present

OVERVIEW:

You, along with every other human being alive today, are members of the Homo sapiens species. Homo sapiens emerged in Africa 300,000 years ago during a period of extreme climatic change. They hunted and foraged for food, and they developed skills that helped them deal with the difficulties of surviving in unsteady surroundings, just like other early people who lived at this period.

Anatomically, modern people can be distinguished from older humans by the lighter build of their skeletons. The average size of the very big brains seen in modern humans, which range in size from population to population and between males and females, is about 1300 cubic centimeters. The restructuring of the skull into what is considered to be "modern" -- a thin-walled, high vaulted skull with a flat and nearly vertical forehead -- was necessary to house this large brain. The heavy brow ridges and prognathism of other early humans are similarly much less noticeable on modern human faces, if at all. Our teeth are smaller, and our jaws are less fully developed.

The term "anatomically modern Homo sapiens" is frequently used by scientists to describe members of our own species who lived in the distant past.

Read more about other Human Ancestor Groups:








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