Primate Evolution Did humans evolve from modern apes Or Do modern apes and humans have a common ancestor?

Hominid Fossil Record Dozens of new fossils have been added in recent years Difficult to categorize No two hominids were alike

Directions: On the Hominid Family Tree (next slide), click on the picture for each hominid. When you are done collecting information, click on the gold button at the bottom of the screen to return to the Hominid Family Tree.

Hominid Family Tree H. sapiens H. neanderthalensis A. robustus H. erectus 2 mya A. bosei Homo habilis A. aethiopicus A. africanus Kenyanthropus platyops A. afarensis 4 mya Australopithecus anamensis Ardipithicus ramidus 6 mya Orrorin tugenensis?

Orrorin tugenensis Oldest hominid fossil, 6 million years old Bone structure suggests it may have been bipedal

Ardipithicus ramidus 4.4 million years old Lived in woodlands May have walked upright

Australopithecus anamensis 4 million years old Lived in open woodlands near Kenya and Ethiopia May have walked upright

Australopithicus afarensis 3 - 3.5 million years old Rich fossil record Skull measurements suggest brain was 1/3 size of human (about the size of ape brain) Short stature, walked upright Savannas and open woodlands

Australopithicus africanus 2 - 3 million years old Very similar in structure to A. afarensis Lived in open woodlands

Australopithicus bosei and robustus 1.5 - 2 million years old May have diverged from A. aethiopicus Lived in open woodlands and savannas A. robustus may have used tools for foraging

Homo habilis 1.5 - 2 million years old Controversial, fossils very fragmented First tools?

Homo erectus 0.3 - 1.8 million years old Found in regions far beyond Africa Structural features similar to modern humans

Homo neanderthalensis 30,000-250,000 years old Lived in cold climates Short, stocky build, more robust than modern humans

Homo sapiens Present to 100,000 years old Distinguished by large brain size Cro-magnon culture of 40,000 years ago suggests sophisticated tool use