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Human Evolution by SpeciesPatrick Weeks
Anthropology 107A
For Prof. L. LeClairUniversity of Prince Edward Island
Saturday, April 9 th , 2011
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Human Evolution by Species
Starting in the late Miocene epoch, this presentation will describefossil evidence of the earliest hominids (those that are most
speculated as human ancestors) over time, moving into the morecertain human forebears (those of the last half million years). Even
with these more recent species, much that is known is still speculative.As such, distinctions between species and subspecies are sometimesblurred, depending upon the research and conclusions of particular
people in the scientific community. It is for this reason that some moreminor species that may be omitted from the presentation. The
following species provide what I believe is the most probable and simplest
timeline of human evolution over the past seven million years.
Enjoy!
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SahelanthropustchadensisFound: 2001
Where: Toros-Manallasite 266, Chad
Team leaders: Michel Brunet, Alain Beayvilain
Temporal range:7 to 6 million years ago
Early relative of Humans and Chimpanzees
though it is uncertain as to whether or not eitheris descended from them. Few fossil specimensexist and very little is known. The oldest knownHominid, it is not known if it was bipedal but itbore a resemblance to the modern chimp.
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O rrorintugenensis
Found: 2000
Where: TugenHills, Kenya
Team leaders: Martin Pickford,Brigitte Senut
Temporal range:6.1 to 5.8mya
The second oldest hominid, O .
tugenensis was likely partiallybipedal. Little fossil evidence existsoutside of that pictured (joints,teeth).
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ArdipithecuskadabbaFound: 1997
Where: Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Team leaders: Tim White, Gen Suwa,
YohannesHaileSelassie
Temporal range: 5.7 to 5.2mya
Species known only from bone andteeth fragments, but differences in
teeth dictate that it is distinct toArdipithecusramidus and was likelyits ancestor. This may be the earliestknown proto-human.
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Ardipithecusramidus
Found: December 1992
Where: Aramis, Ethiopia
Team leader: Tim White
Temporal range: 4.5 to 4.2 mya
Similar stance and jaw to the modernchimp, A.ramidus was the earliest
hominid to be confirmed as afacultative biped (owing to a nearcomplete skeleton revealed to thepublic in 1999).
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Australopithecus anamensis
Found: September 1994
Where: Kanapoiand Allia Bay, Kenya
Team leaders: MeaveLeakey, Alan Walker
Temporal range: 4.1 to 3.9mya
More apelike than A.afarensis, A.
anamensiswas likely the stepping stone
between facultative and habitual bipedalism.Feet and legs have not been found, but it
seems likely that it would have been equally
comfortable in a tree or on ground.
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KenyanthropusplatyopsFound: August 1999
Where: Lomekwiand East Turkana, Kenya
Team leader: Meave Leakey
Temporal range:3.5 to 3.2mya
A contemporary to A.afarensis, K.platyopsmayhave been an entirely separate genus of hominid(according to Leakey). This has been disputed byother researchers, who claim that it is a separatespecies of the Australopithecus genus. The fossils
uncovered so far are damaged to the extent thatthere is no way to be certain. The face is very flat,indicating upright bipedalism (the Latin namemeans flat-faced man of Kenya ).
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Australopithecus afarensisFound: November 1974
Where: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Team leader: Donald C . Johanson
Temporal range: 3.9 to 2.9mya
Likely the first full-fledged bipedal Hominid, A.afarensisfossils were only known by small jointsdiscovered in northern Africa. In 1974 thespecimen "Lucy" was discovered in Ethiopia,consisting of an almost complete skeleton. Very
recent findings have shown that A.afarensishadarched feet, clearly indicating habitualbipedalism.
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Australopithecus garhiFound: November 1997
Where: Bouri, Ethiopia
Team leaders: BerhaneAsfaw , Tim White
Temporal range: 2.5 mya
This may or may not be the missing linkbetween the Australopithecine andHomo genera, but A.garhiwas likely the
earliest developer of O lduwan stonetools, a fact that does not coincide withincreasing cranial capacity in this case.
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Australopithecus africanusFound: O ctober 1924
Where: Taung, Sterkfontein andMakapansgat, South Africa
Found by: Raymond Dart
Temporal range: 3.0 to 2.0 mya
A gracile hominid, A.africanus showsgreat human resemblance. The sagittal
crest is gone and brow ridges aredecreasing in size, likely due to thedevelopment of tools and a diet higher inprotein.
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Homo habilisFound: November 1964
Where: O lduvai Gorge,
Found by: Mary Leakey, Louis Leakey
Temporal range: 2.5 to 1.6mya
The member of homo with the leastresemblence to humans, H. habilis wasthe first of the genus to use tools. Few
specimens have been found, and it ishotly debated whether or not it is in facta human ancestor
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Homo rudolfensisFound: August 1972
Where: East Turkana, Kenya
Team leaders: Richard Leakey, MeaveLeakey
Temporal range: 2.5 to 1.8 million years ago
The oldest of the genus Homo, H.rudolfensisrepresents a giant leap forward in cranialcapacity. From the Australopithecines thecranium has jumped between 100 and 300 cubiccentimeters (to around 700 cc), surpassing thatof modern chimps. Such a massive increase inenergy demand would indicate rapidly increasingprowess in hunting prey.
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Homo erectusFound: O ctober 1891
Where: Trinil, Indonesia
Team leader: Eugene DuBois
Temporal range: 1.8 million to 50thousand years ago
H. Erectus is a name often also used for otherHomo species, such as ergaster, georgicus,pekinensis, and later, heidelbergensis. Theyshowed great physical similarities to modernhumans, and were the first to control fire(ergaster). Brain capacity ranged around 800 900 cc, two thirds of modern human capacity.
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Homo heidelbergensisFound: O ctober 1907
Where: Mauer, Germany
Named by: O tto Schoetensack
Temporal range: 800 to 350 thousand years ago
H. heidelbergensis is likely the commonancestor of H. Sapiens and H. Neanderthalensis.He showed a comparable cranial capacity toeither species, and were likely capable tocommunicate complex messages. O ther socialbehaviors may have included burials anddecoration. They stood much larger than H.sapiens (over 2 meters) and likely had a similarcarnivorous diet to H. neanderthalensis.
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Homo neanderthalensisFound: August 1856
Where: Feldhofer, Neander Valley,Germany
Named by: William King
Temporal range: 200 to 28 thousandyears ago
Existing for a rather brief time, the gianthunter H. neaderthalensis was likelymarginalized by H. sapiens, requiringmuch greater energy intake while usingless advanced hunting technology. O ther theoriesinclude interbreeding with Homo sapiens.Regardless, it is undoubtedly the most human-looking species outside our own (if it is indeed adistinct species)
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Homo floresiensisFound: September 2003
Where: Liang Bua cave, Flores Island, Indonesia
Team leaders: Peter Brown, Michael Morwood
Temporal range: 100,000 to 12,000 years ago
Known as the "Hobbit", H. floresiensis was thesecond youngest species of the genus Homo.They stood only a meter tall and had asignificantly reduced cranial capacity, provingagain that this does not necessarily dictate toolusage or bipedalism. A creature of similardescription has been occasionally sighted onSumatra, possibly a living relative of H.floresiensis(but no proof has yet beendocumented).
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Homo sapiens
Named by: Carl Linnaeus
Temporal range: 200,000years ago to present
O f lighter build that H.neanderthalensis, energyrequirements for H. sapiens were much smaller. Coupledwith more advanced technology (particularly in rangedweaponry), H. sapiens were better able to acquire foodwhile reducing risk of injury. This permitted greaterreproduction as well as a migratory population. As ispainfully obvious, today our species numbers in thebillions and has more or less stopped evolving (due toreliance upon technology and the abandonment of natural selection). From here on out, evolution will likelybe only that of a technological sort.
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