This document summarizes a presentation on the origin and evolution of man. It discusses how man evolved from simple ancestors in Africa around 1 million years ago. The earliest human fossils have been found in Africa, Asia, and Europe dating back to the Miocene and Pliocene periods. Key fossils discussed include Dryopithecus, Ramapithecus, Australopithecus, and several Homo species showing the transition from ape-like ancestors to early humans to modern humans. Differences between humans and modern apes are outlined. The evolution of humans was influenced by factors like natural selection, genetic drift, and environmental changes. While the origin and evolution of humans is complex, fossils and genetics provide evidence of our evolutionary

1. Presentation on: Origin and Evolution
Of Man
Presented by:
Nilesh Kumar Thakur
Paper : CC-14 (Evolutionary Biology)
Dept. : ZOOLOGY
Bsc. 6th Sem (2023)

2. Content
 Introduction
 Place and Time of
origin
 Differences Between
Apes and Humans
 Evolution of Humans
 Conclusion
 Reference

3. Introduction
• Man (Homo sapiens), has evolved, like other
animals, from simple ancestors on this earth.
• Man is considered as supreme animal,
because it possess some special features.
• All these changes occurred in the prehistoric
man in about one million years.

4. Place and Time
of Origin
• The fossils of ancestral humans are
mostly found from widely diverged
areas of Africa, Asia and Europe
• The time of descent of man is
between Miocene and Pliocene
period .

5. Differences Between Apes and Human
APES HUMANS
• Semi erect posture
• Thick growth of hair on whole body
• Less cranial capacity (450cc) & less
intelligent
• Forelimbs longer than hind limbs
• 'U' shaped jaw & chin absent
• Thumb is parallel to palm.
• Complete erect posture with Bipedal
locomotion
• Thick growth of hair only on certain part of
the body
• More cranial capacity (1300-1600cc) & more
intelligent
• Forelimbs shorter than hind limbs
• Semicircular jaw and chin present
• Thumb is opposable.

6. (A) APE FOSSILS
Dryopithecus:
• The Fossils of Dryopithecus africanus was
discovered from the rocks of Miocene and
early Pliocene of Africa and Europe.
Ramapithecus :
• The Fossils was discovered from the
Pliocene rocks of Shivalik Hills of India.
Dryopithecus
Ramapithecus
Ramapithecus was more man-like while Dryopithecus was more
ape-like.

7. (B) APE MAN FOSSILS
(A) Australopithecus afarensis
(B) Australopithecus africanus
The fossils were discovered from Pliocene
rocks.
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus afarensis

8. 2. Homo erectus
(a) Java Man
(b) Peking Man
( c) Heidelberg Man
Homo erectus erectus Homo erectus pekininsis
(C)Pre-Historic Man
1.Homo habilis
Homo habilis
Homo heidelbergensis

9. (C)TRUEMEN ( Homo sapiens)
1.Neanderthal Man
(Homo sapiens neanderthalensis)
• The Fossils was discovered
from Neander valley of
Germany.
2. Cro-magnon Man
(Homo sapiens fossilis)
• The Fossils was discovered from
the
Cro-magnon rock of France
3.Modern Man
(Homo sapiens sapiens)
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
Homo sapiens fossils

10. Fig: Schematic representation of evolution of man.(Age , Height and
Cranial Capacity are also given).

11. Conclusion
• The evolution of humans can be traced
through the study of fossils and
genetics.
• The evolution of humans has been
influenced by a variety of factors,
including natural selection, genetic drift,
and environmental changes.
• The study of the origin and evolution of
man is a complex and there is still much
to learn and discover about our human
ancestors and the processes that led to
our current state.

12. Reference:
• Evolutionary Biology ;Kalyani (S.K
Mishra) ;2022 new edition as per CBCS
page-241, Chap-4.
• Organic Evolution ;Veer Bala Rastogi,
13th edition, page-464; chap-28.

13. Thank You