Hominids first appeared between 6-7 million years ago in Africa and have evolved several times as evidenced by fossil records. Key adaptations throughout hominid evolution include bipedal locomotion, increasing brain size, facial structure changes, decreasing jaw and tooth size, opposable thumbs, and tool usage. The earliest known hominid genus is Australopithecus, followed by species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens, and Homo neanderthalensis, with modern humans emerging in the last 10,000 years.

1. Hominid Evolution

2. Hominid Evolution
• Hominids family of organism that includes humans
• Earliest subgroup of primates
• First appeared between 6 and 7 million ears ago
• Has evolved several times..we can tell by looking at
fossil evidence…Skulls in particular

3. Hominid Evolution
• Today researchers believe Hominid evolution proceed by
• Adaptive radiation is a process by which a several species
evolve from single ancestral species.

4. Hominid Evolution
• Adaptations in hominid evolution
include …
• Bipedal locomotion-walking upright on 2 legs
• Large brains- specially cerebrum; Increase in
cranial capacity
• Changes in skull shape, including decrease in
size of brow ridge (section of bone above
eye)
• Decrease in jaw size and angle at which jaw
protrudes from face
• Decrease in the number of teeth
• Opposable thumbs- adapted for grasping
• Development of the ability to make and use
tools
• Development of the ability to communicate
using language

6. • The earliest genus of
hominids is called
Australopithecus, meaning
"southern ape
• found in eastern Africa in
1974
• Australopithecus afarensis
– Species existed between 3
million and 4 million years
ago
– A. afarenis was shorter than
modern humans, less than
1.5 m tall

7. • Homo habilis-
– Oldest…existed 2 million years ago
– handy man.” fossils found with tools
• Homo erectus means upright human
– Existed 1.6 million years ago to about 200,000 years ago
– Taller and larger brain than Homo habilis
– Smaller teeth than Homo habilis
– Lived in groups (suggest language use) and used fire
• Homo sapiens- means wise human
– Existed about 100,000 to 200,000 years ago
– Some believe they arose directly from Homo erectus while other believe they arose from Homo
Neanderthals (who descended from Homo erectus)
– By about 40,000 years ago, H. sapiens were physically identical to modern humans
• Homo neanderthalensis - Neanderthals
–Emerged in Germany 300,000 years ago
–Lived till about 30,000 years ago
– made stone tools and lived in organized social groups and had organized societies
– Brain was similar in size to modern humans
– DNA evidence now supports this theory…modern human DNA is 99.7 % identical
to that of the Neanderthals
• Cro-Magnons appeared in Europe (shortly after, Neanderthals disappeared)
• Modern Humans –Last 10,000 years, Earth’s only hominid.