Hominid Evolution Summary (PDF VERSION IS HERE)

species Time Period cranial cap (cc) height jaw & teeth face other
Sahelanthropus tchadensis 6-7 mybp 350 ? small canines low forehead, brow ridge may be closest common ancestor to chimps gracile A comparison of ape-like vs. human-like skulls. More here (LINK)
Orrorin tugenensis 6 mybp ? 4-5 ft no data no data based on thigh, lower jaw, teeth (LINK)
Ardipithecus ramidus 4.4-5.8 mybp ? 4 ft chimp-like teeth no data seems to be a forest-dweller (this has implications for the savanna-driven theories of bipedalism) gracile (LINK)
Australopithecus anamensis 3.9-4.2 mybp ? ? ape-like with human teeth no data gracile (LINK)
Australopithecus bahrelghazali 4 mybp ? ? intermediate only known from jaw The only australopithicine known from Western Africa. (LINK)
Australopithecus afarensis 3.0-3.9 mybp 375-550 3'6"- 5' small canines, jaw intermediate low forehead, flat nose, no chin, brow ridge sexually dimorphic gracile, "Lucy" See the Latoli footprints here See brain size here MOVIE 1 (4min) MOVIE 2 (2min) MOVIE 3 (3 min) (LINK)
Kenyanthropus platyops 3.5 mybp 420-500 5' small molars panned but flatter than other australipithicines gracile. The flat face, small molars, and other derived facial features, Kenyanthropus may directly related to Homo (Perhaps an ancestor of H. rudolfensis) (LINK)
Australopithecus africanus 2-3 mybp 485-625 4' parabolic jaw reduced canines panned, brow ridges present, protruding jaw gracile. There is a suggestion that some material may be as little as 1 my old (!) may have used sticks and stones as digging tools (LINK)
Australopithecus garhi 2-3 mybp 350-550 ? large teeth panned, long low skull, brow ridges with protruding jaw robust, leg ratio human, arm ratio ape-like. There is some evidence (antelope remains with tool cuts (more here) and tools from a contemporaneous site) that garhi made stone tools. Meat and marrow allows bigger brains. (LINK)
Australopithecus aethiopicus 2.3-2.6 mybp 410 ? large teeth and jaw massive face, large sagittal crest may be ancestral to robustus and boisei, some classify as genus Australopithicus (LINK)
Paranthropus robustus 1.5-2.0 mybp 530 4' small front teeth, large back panned no forehead, small sagittal crest robust, may have used bones as digging tools, some classify as genus Australopithicus See this too (LINK)
Paranthropus boisei 1.1-2.1 mybp 530 4' larger than robustus with anterior teeth reduction sagittal crest, low forehead, panned face

robust, some classify as genus Paranthropus. Sexual dimorphism is reduced. Fed on hard, low-quality foods MOVIE 1 (10 min) MOVIE 2 (10 min) MOVIE 3 (9 min) (LINK)
Homo rudolfensis 1.6-2.4 mybp 600-800 5'6" human-like small forehead, flat face, shortened skull robust, contemporary with H. habilis (LINK)
Homo habilis 1.5-2.4 mybp 500-800 5' human-like protruding jaws, large molars, no chin, brow ridge, long low skull Broca's area from brain cast (more here), tool making, may be several species including Homo rudolfensis NOTE: Some researchers question if habilis is a direct human ancestor. Had a precision grip. "Handy man" did not use fire MOVIE 1 (LINK)
Homo georgia 1.8 mybp 600-680 4'11" human-like protruding jaws, large molars, no chin, brow ridge, long low skull Intermediate to H. habilis and H. erectus (LINK)
Homo erectus 1.8 mybp - 300,000 750-1225 5' human-like protruding jaws, large molars, no chin, brow ridge, long low skull probably used fire, efficient stone tools, first to leave Africa and migrated to Asia and Europe. Generally considered to be a direct human ancestor. See fire and tools here (LINK)
Homo ergaster 1.6 mybp 800 5' human-like protruding jaws, large molars, no chin, brow ridge, long low skull sometimes classified with H. erectus MOVIE 1 ( 5 min) (LINK)
Homo antecessor 780,000 ybp 1000 5' human-like mid-facial area is modern, forehead, teeth, and brow ridges are primitive most researchers place this under H heidelbergensis (LINK)
Homo heidelbergensis 500,000 ybp 1200 5' human-like rounded skull, small teeth and jaw, brow ridge, weak chin and forehead aka Homo sapiens (archaic) MOVIE 1 (10 min) (LINK)
Homo neanderthalensis 230,000-30,000 ybp 1450 5'6" human-like low brain case with protrusion at rear, protruding jaw, weak chin and forehead buried their dead, advanced tools, music, not brute-like (even worse) See this too MOVIE 1 (~ 5 min) MOVIE 2 (3 min) (LINK)
Homo floresiensis to 18,000 ybp 360 ~ 3'3" human like with robust lower jaw Small slightly elongated skull with small brow ridges. Weak chin. Probably evolved from H. erectus in Indonesia. Limited habitat and isolation led to extraordinarily stature. This is NOT a pigmy. However... Hobbit Discovery Questioned LECTURE (LINK)
Homo sapiens 120,000 ybp 1350   human-like small or absent brow ridges, high forehead art, music, beads, tools, cave paintings (LINK)

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