Early Species of the Genus Homo Chapter Fourteen Early Species of the Genus Homo

The Early Homo Fossil Record Between 2.5 and 2.3 million years ago, several new hominin species emerged, including species placed in the genera Paranthropus and Homo. Members of the genus Homo coexisted with Paranthropus, until the latter became extinct. Many paleoanthropologists have suggested that Homo originated in Africa around 2.5 million years ago. Both Homo and Paranthropus are seen as evolving from a late species of Australopithecus.

The Genus Homo Table 14-1: The genera Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Homo compared

Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis The early Homo fossils were originally placed into a single species, Homo habilis. Finds occurred at Olduvai Gorge and Koobi Fora. If split into two species: Homo habilis consists of the smaller individuals Homo rudolfensis is composed of the larger individuals

Homo erectus and Homo ergaster Homo ergaster is a new species name proposed for the African representatives of what was formerly called Homo erectus. Homo erectus fossils are the first found outside Africa, in places such as Indonesia, China, and the former Soviet Union.

The Anatomy of Homo erectus The cranial capacity averages about 1000 cc, which is within the lower range of variation of H. sapiens. Cranial bones are thick Brow ridges are thick and continuous Skull is platycephalic, and often exhibits a sagittal keel. The occipital region is angular Face is large and broad with large orbits and nasal openings. The genus Homo is characterized by a reduction in the size of dentition through time.

Homo neanderthalensis Specimens of Homo neanderthalenis have been found in Europe and the Middle East, dating between approximately 300,000 to 30,000 years ago. [Figure 14.20 Comparison of skulls neandertals and sapiens]

[Table 14-4: Homo neaderthalensis and Homo sapiens compared] Neandertal Anatomy [Table 14-4: Homo neaderthalensis and Homo sapiens compared]

Early Stone Tools The Paleolithic begins with the appearance of stone tools around 2.6 million B.P. The best-known early archaeological assemblages are those of Olduvai Gorge. They are known as Oldowan tools and are most likely associated with Homo habilis.

The Culture of Early Homo The earliest proposed date for the controlled use of fire is 1 million years ago from a site in Israel. The use of fire is thought to have been necessary to move out of the warmer tropical regions and into cooler regions in Europe. A possible dwelling has been found in southern France that is approximately 400,000 years old. It is likely that the hominins of the Lower Paleolithic were predominantly scavengers and gatherers. Between 1.6 million and 300,000 B.P., the brain dramatically increased in size. A matter of debate is whether or not early members of the genus Homo were capable of human speech and language.

The Culture of Neandertals The cultural tradition associated most frequently with the Neandertals is the Mousterian. There is growing evidence that at least some Neandertals practiced cannibalism and buried their dead. Neandertals may have been capable of planning and symbolic thought. [Figure 14.32 Mousterian industries]