HOMINID EVOLUTION Phylogenetic tree to show the place of the family Hominidae in the animal kingdom.

Human classification

Phylogenetic Tree of the family Hominidae: Australopithecus & Homo Chimpanzees Gorillas Orangutans Gibbons Super family: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Subfamily: Homininae Tribe: Hominini

Evidence that supports the idea of common ancestors for living hominids including humans: 1) Fossil evidence

2) Genetic evidence: mitochondrial DNA

3) Cultural evidence: tool making

List of characteristics that humans share with African apes: p243 1)Opposable thumb = 2)Hands and feet can grasp (prehensile) =

3) Fingernails instead of claws = 4) Binocular stereoscopic vision =

5) 32 teeth in permanent heterodont dentition = heterodont means different teeth (molar, canine etc. see p243) 6) Single pair of mammary glands (breasts)

Tabulated anatomical differences between African apes and humans: HumansAfrican apes 1) Permanently Bipedal (foramen magnum central, spine S-curved with short lower back and pelvic girdle short). 1) Occasionally Bipedal (foramen magnum in back, spine C-curved with long lower back, pelvic girdle long narrow). 2) Larger brain size.2) Smaller brain size. 3) Small teeth, equal size. 3) Small teeth, large canines.

HumansAfrican apes 4) No prognathis.4) Pronounced prognathis. 5) Palate rounded shape. 5) Palate elongated rectangular shape. 6) Cranial ridges totally absent. 6) Cranial ridges still visible. 7) Brow ridges absent.7) Brow ridges pronounced.

Foramen magnum positioning for Bipedalism Gorilla A. africanus Human

Hip / Pelvis and leg structure for Bipedalism

Bipedalism leaves the hands free to hold food, young and protect self. Allows field of view over tall grasses to protect against stalking predators.

Distribution of humans across the planet: The Out of Africa hypothesis states that all modern humans originated in Africa.

Out – of – Africa theory

Lines of evidence that support the Out of Africa hypothesis: 1) Fossil record – fossil sites in: a) The Great Rift Valley in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), Ethiopia p256 b) South Africa p256 2) Mitochondrial DNA p255

Bipedalism evidence: Laetoli footprints discovered in 1978 by Mary Leaky at Laetoli in Tanzania. 3.6 million years old. Made most likely by an australopithecene

P246 – 248 = Very good for studying developmental comparisons.

HOMINID EVOLUTION  Ardipithecus ramidus (aka Ardi) – 1994 Ethiopia 4.4 mya p249

 Australopithecus afarensis (aka Lucy) – 1974 Ethiopia 3.2 mya p249

Australopithecus africanus – Taung child & Mrs. Ples 1924 – Taung, R.S.A.1947 – Sterkfontein 2.8 – 2.6 myap250

Homo habilis – ‘Handy Man’ 1968 – Olduvai Gorge Tanzania 2.5myap250

Paranthropus boisei – Nutcracker man 1959 – Olduvai Gorge Tanzania 2.2 – 1.2 myap250

Homo erectus – ‘Walking upright man’ (Java man) 1891 – Java Indonesia 1.8 – 1.3mya p251

Paranthropus robustus – ‘strong almost man’ 1938 Kromdraai, R.S.A. 1.2myap250

Homo heidelbergensis 1907 – Mauer, Germany – ya Not in text

Homo neanderthalensis (1829) 1856 – all across Europe, from Belgium, into Germany, Gibraltar, Palestine – yanot in text

Homo sapiens – ‘Wise man’ ya – present day p251