Primate evolution & human origins

Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history Darwin, 1859 During many years I collected notes on the origin or descent of man, without any intention of publishing on the subject, but rather with the determination not to publish, as I thought that I should thus only add to the prejudices against my views. Darwin, 1871

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea PlatyrrhiniCatarrhini CercopithecoideaHominoidea HylobatidaeHominidae PonginaeHomininae

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea tarsierlemur

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea PlatyrrhiniCatarrhini

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea PlatyrrhiniCatarrhini CercopithecoideaHominoidea

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea PlatyrrhiniCatarrhini CercopithecoideaHominoidea HylobatidaeHominidae

Primates Prosimii Tarsiiformes Anthropoidea PlatyrrhiniCatarrhini CercopithecoideaHominoidea HylobatidaeHominidae PonginaeHomininae

Pongo pygmaeus Ponginae

Pan troglodytes Pan paniscus Homininae Gorilla gorilla Homo sapiens

Morphological and molecular analyses demonstrate that humans are closely related to gorillas and chimpanzees

Gigantopithecus blackii

gorilla human

Ape & Human common ancestor opposable hallux luxuriant body hair ape-sized brain knuckle-walker (not bipedal) complex social relationships used simple tools

The phylogenetic relationships among the species of fossil hominids have not been definitively established The fossil record includes a diversity of hominids that lived after the human lineage and the chimpanzee lineage separated

Sahalanthropus tchadensis

Ardipithecus ramidus 4.4 MYA known only from teeth Australopithecus anamensis MYA known only from jaws & teeth

Australopithecus afarensis MYA ‘Lucy’

Australopithecus afarensis

‘Robust’ australopithecines Genus: Paranthropus 3 species: aethiopicus, boisei, robustus not human ancestors large molars powerful jaws bony crest on skull

Paranthropus aethiopicus MYA formerly Australopithecus

Paranthropus boisei MYA formerly Australopithecus

Paranthropus boisei

Paranthropus robustus MYA formerly Australopithecus

‘Gracile’ australopithecines Genus: Australopithecus 3 species: afarensis, africanus human ancestors small braincases bipedal make/use stone tools

Australopithecus africanus MYA human lineage unknown

Australopithecus africanus

The earliest known stone tools predate the earliest known Homo species

Homo rudolfensis MYA conspecific with H. habilis?

Homo habilis MYA formerly Australopithecus

Homo habilis

An analysis of the skulls of Homo habilis suggest that they may have had at least rudimentary language

Homo erectus

Homo ergaster MYA African H. erectus

Homo ergaster

Homo heidelbergensis immediate ancestor to H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens

Homo neanderthalensis

Homo neanderthalensis & H. sapiens

Analyses of a limited sample of ancient DNA suggest that modern humans and Neandertals were distinct lineages, and that modern humans emerging from Africa replaced Neandertals in Europe

What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals! Hamlet, William Shakespeare

The origin of modern Homo sapiens is controversial

Homo sapiens Morphological analyses suggest that modern humans evolved in Africa, then replaced archaic humans elsewhere

bipedalism big brains naked skin Causes of hominid evolution

Pelvic girdle femalemale Tilted forward Bones lighter, thinner, smoother Cavity of true pelvis: broad, shallow Acetabulasmaller, further apart Pubic arch broader Pelvic brim wider Sacrum wider, shorter

chimpanzee human

gorilla human

There are one hundred and ninety-three living species of monkeys and apes. One hundred and ninety-two of them are covered with hair. The exception is a naked ape self-named Homo sapiens. Desmond Morris

gibbonchimpanzeeorangutangorillahuman