Excavators at South Africa’s Drimolen site, shown with some of the animal bones they have found, have recovered roughly 2-million-year-old fossils of two hominid species, Homo erectus and Paranthropus robustus. It’s unclear whether members of the three hominid lines everĮncountered each other during that transition period. During that stretch,Ĭlimate and habitat fluctuations drove AustralopithecusĮcological challenges, possibly outcompeting Australopithecus for limited resources, the researchers speculate. Million and 1.9 million years ago, Herries’ team says. Transition in hominid evolution occurred in southern Africa between around 2.1 Taken together, these discoveries indicate that a major Inhabited nearby parts of South Africa approximately 2 million years ago. Researchers previously determined that two Australopithecus species, A. Million years ago, the scientists report in the April 3 Science.įossil comes from a child who displayed a long, low braincase typical of adults Both finds date to between 2.04 million and 1.95 Robustus, say paleoanthropologist Andy Herries of La Trobe University in Melbourne,Īustralia, and his colleagues. Uncovered two fossil braincases, one from Homo Though, if the three ancient populations inhabited the region at precisely theĮxcavations at Drimolen, a set of caves in South Africa, Successful, humanlike species, new fossil discoveries suggest. Years ago, signaling an evolutionary swing propelled by the spread of a highly What differences do you observe? Given what you saw for species differences in previous fossil comparisons, do you think there are enough differences to consider them two different species?Ĭonsider other features: what similarities do you see between the two fossils?īased on your observations, do you think that H.Different hominid lines clustered at the bottom of Africa around 2 million Other paleontologists prefer to “lump” similar fossils explaining the diversity as natural variation or differences between the sexes.Ĭompare the type specimens for Homo habilis and (possible) Homo rudolfensis. This fossil collection, however, does vary significantly in facial and cranial size, suggesting to some they should be “split” into two separate species. The earliest fossils that belong to this genus appear between 2.8 and 2.5 mya, and they extend to about 1.7 mya. The genus Homo suggests reliance on tools as well as dietary and behavioral flexibility. Size of molar and premolar chewing surfaceīased on your observations, what are two major trends that continue across the genus Homo? You can record your observations using comparative terms such as “largest”, “smallest”, “most prognathic”, in addition to specific descriptive terms like “parabolic” or “U-shaped” that were presented in the chapter.Įxtent of prognathism (jutting out of lower face) If possible, you are encouraged to open two or more of these links at the same time (in different windows) to allow you to look at them at the same time and compare them. In the table below, each species’ name contains links to 3D scans of fossils from Sketchfab. Students will then complete data tables and answer questions about these models.

In this activity students utilize links to 3D models of several hominin species and early hominin tools (available at, , and ) to make observations about and compare them. To understand the big picture - the key changes with the advent and spread of early Homo - students will examine and record the differences between Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus. For example, all Homo habilis could be lumped as Homo habilis, or split into Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis.īy approximately 2.5 million years ago (mya), the earliest members of the genus Homo ( Homo habilis) had developed, and by 1.6 mya Homo erectus had spread throughout Africa and Asia. Debate surrounds the classification of both species, primarily about whether they should be lumped into one species each, or split into two. Both species overlap with the end of the Australopithecines chronologically, with Homo erectus outliving any of the rest. In this lab students examine fossils of the earliest species of the genus Homo: Homo habilis and Homo erectus.

Early homo skull sketch