1. THE HOMINIDS

2. Ardipithecus ramidus 5.8-4.4 Mya Distribution: Ethiopia
Very similar to chimps
Molar are apelike: Canines are more hominid-like
Bipedalism- maybe

3. Australopithecus afarensis

4. Australopithecus afarensis
3.9 – 2.9 Mya
Climate changing. Antarctic ice cap advance 5 Mya
Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Cranial capacity: 380 – 450 cm3
Height: 1.07m
Bipedal (footprints 3.6 Mya old) /climber
U-shaped dental arcade but reduced canines
Arboreal / terrestrial herbivore

5. Lucy Lucy is the most complete skeleton of an early hominid.
Found in Hadar, Ethiopia (1974).
Australopithecus afarensis
Found in many areas of East Africa.
4.0 – 3.0 mya.
Lucy was a small-brained biped.
Small brain 380 – 500 cc
Lucy was 3’6” tall 50 lb
Dates to 3.2 mya

6. Australopithecus africanus

7. Australopithecus africanus
3 – 2.25 Mya
Cooling of climate reduced rainfall
Further advance of Antarctic ice
Appearance of Arctic ice 2.4Mya
Development of scrubland and savannah
Forest cover retreats

8. Australopithecus africanus
Distribution: Southern and Eastern Africa
Cranial capacity: 500 cm3 (Chimp = 400cm3)
Bipedal
20 – 35 kg
Rounder skull
Parabolic dental arcade
Longevity: 40 years maximum
Scavenger of bone marrow/brain cases
Used simple tools

9. Homo habilis - the handy man

10. Homo habilis 2.6 -1.4 Mya E. Africa
Scavenging significant part of the diet
Cranial capacity: 600 – 800 cm3
Height: 1.20 – 1.35m
Simple fashioned tools – choppers (Oldowan culture)

11. Homo erectus – the upright man

12. Homo erectus
1.8 to 0.5 Mya
0.9 Mya beginning of the Pleistocene ice age
Oscillations between cold and warm periods
Spread out of Africa (1.6Ma) throughout the old world
Scavenging to hunting
Use of a home base

13. Homo erectus Cranial capacity: 850 – 1100 cm3 (H. sapiens = 1350 cm3)
Use of fire
Height 1.55 to 1.8m
Extended childhood
1st molar at 4.6 years old (H. sapiens = 5.9y)
Greater longevity  52 years
Speech? (Brain says: yes; spine says: no)
Improved tools: Hand axes (Acheulian culture)

14. Homo neanderthalensis

15. Homo neanderthalensis
to years ago
Europe, Middle East, into Central Asia
Evolved from H. erectus populations perhaps via H. heidelbergensis, then became extinct
Adapted to the ice-age conditions of temperate zone
Large nose may have warmed cold air
The enigma of its extinction is not explained

16. Homo neanderthalensis
Cranial capacity: 1400 cm3 (H. sapiens = 1350 cm3)
Brow ridge, long low skull
Height: 1.67m
Stocky build
Improved sophisticated tools (Mousterian culture)
Sometimes buried their dead
Made simple jewelry

17. Homo sapiens

18. Homo sapiens From 150 000 years ago to present
Originating in Southern Africa then went worldwide
Reached Europe about years ago
Cooling of the climate during the last glacial period from about a led to their predominance over other species (e.g. H. neanderthalensis)
Omnivore
Alters environment
Domestication of species, farming

19. Homo sapiens Cranial capacity: 1350 cm3 (range 1000 to 2000 cm3)
20% of the body’s energy consumption for 5% of body mass
Speech
Art
Extensive tool kit including new materials (bone, ivory, antler)
Symbolic thought
1st molar tooth 5.9 years old
Longevity 66 years

20. Many Species coexisted

21. THE CHANGING TREES OF HUMAN EVOLUTION

22. 1960 Up the ladder
The idea that one species smoothly evolves from one into another is regarded today as an oversimplification
Unfortunately it is a very persistent view that continually resurfaces in cartoons
Public Domain Images

23. Up the ladder
Australopithecus
Homo erectus
Homo sapiens

24. Branching out
Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
Homo habilis
Australopithecus africanus
A. robustus
A. boisei
Australopithecus afarensis “Lucy”
Added 1974
The 1960s and 1970s were a fertile period for fossil hunting in Africa
The idea developed that more than one hominid species existed at the same time developed

25. Australopithecus afarensis
Changing status
Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
Homo habilis
A. africanus
A. robustus
A. boisei
Australopithecus afarensis
As more specimens were found a clearer idea developed of the relationships between them

26. 2001 From a tree to a bush Homo sapiens Homo neanderthalensis?
1 Ma
2 Ma
3 Ma
4 Ma
Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
Homo habilis
A. africanus
P. robustus
Paranthropus boisei
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus anemensis
Ardipithecus ramidus
P. aethiopicus
Homo rudolfensis
H. ergaster
H. heidelbergensis
Homo neanderthalensis
A. garhi

27. 2003 DEEPER ROOTS ? 1 Ma 2 Ma 3 Ma 4 Ma 5 Ma 6 Ma 7 Ma Homo sapiens
Homo erectus
Homo habilis
A. africanus
Paranthropus robustus
Paranthropus. boisei
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus anemensis
Ardipithecus ramidus
P. aethiopicus
Homo rudolfensis
H. ergaster
H. heidelbergensis
Homo neanderthalensis
A. garhi
Orrorin tugensis
Gorilla gorilla
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
“Toumai”
Pan trogolodites

28. Why does it keep changing?
New Fossils
Better understanding of Evolution of other species

29. How many more?
An estimated number of 16 hominid species is thought to have existed
This is based on the evolutionary patterns of other primates
Our family tree is similar to other species
Periods of radiation
Separated by periods of extinction

30. Why is our record so incomplete?
Fossils must be easily accessible
Must be preserved well enough to be identified
Must be politically or legally accessible

31. GENETIC VERSES CULTURAL EVOLUTION
Mousterian tools Jonzac, France

32. Comparison GENETIC CULTURAL The product of natural selection
The product of learning. the transmission of acquired behaviour characteristics
Darwinian
Lamarkian
Innate not modified during the organism’s life time
Learned during the life time
Passed on through hereditary information
Passed on to kin (family), social group, population, within a generation and between generations
Slow change
Fast change

33. The relative importance of genetic and cultural evolution for humans
Not limited to humans examples found amongst birds and non-human primates
Genetic evolution determines features such as basic anatomy e.g. maximum cranial capacity that in turn will determine “intelligence”

34. Hominid cultures are associated with particular tools
Homo habilis Oldowan culture
Simple choppers, scrapers and flakes
Homo erectus Acheulian culture
Hand axes, cleaver and pick added to the tool box
Homo neanderthalensis Mousterian culture
Large flakes of uniform size produced from a core; these were then trimmed to the desired tool
Homo sapiens Soultrian culture
Delicate blades formed, knives, burins (for drilling); other materials added (bone, antler, and ivory). Some tools now ceremonial

35. Observed evolution of cultures
This implies genetic evolution had to precede cultural evolution
Development of cultural innovation sometimes occurs a long time after the species evolves genetically
But when it happens it spreads quickly

36. Example
Homo sapiens evolved a large cranial capacity and modern brain structure 150,000 years ago
Signs of symbolic thought processes in sculpture, wall paintings and adornments do not appear until 35,000 years ago
A fundamental change is thought to have occurred about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago
But is this an artefact of preservation?

37. Trends in Human Evolution
Anatomical Feature
Ape-like form
Human-like form
Position of foramen magnum
Towards back of skull
Towards the base of the skull

38. Foramen Magnum

39. Trends in Human Evolution
Anatomical Feature
Ape-like form
Human-like form
Position of foramen magnum
Towards back of skull
Towards the base of the skull
Cranial capacity
Small
Large
Canine teeth
Long and sharp
Short and dull
Molars
Long and narrow
Short and wide
Brow ridge
Protruding
Flat
Face below brow
Jaw
Tall and thick
Small and thin

42. Changes in brain size and diet
Larger brain= more energy required
More meat in diet
More meat= more hunting
More hunting= more complex tools and more complex social structure
So: Increasing brain size led to increase of meat in diet

43. Cooking Cooking food releases more nutrients to be absorbed
Came later with discovery of fire
Large brain size is needed

44. Are humans primates? Yes 1. Opposable thumbs= fine motor skills
2. Shoulders with full range of motion= greater mobility
3. Forward facing eyes= stereoscopic vision and depth perception