1. Human Evolution
Hominid Skull Comparison Video

2. Skull Comparison Activity
For each skull:
Write the name of the organism
Record the approximate age of the fossil
Record information about the following

sagittal creast, nuchal crest, facial prognethism, canine diastema, chin, nasal bones, brow ridge, incisor angle, and foramen magnum
Determine if the skull is more ape-like or human-like

3. Three notable traits that appeared in primates were
Human evolution began approx. 60 million years ago with 
the earliest PRIMATES.
Three notable traits that appeared in 
primates were
 Flattened teeth - plant diet
 Grasping hands and feet with 
 opposable first digits
 Forward-directed eyes
Gray-shanked Douc - Native to Vietnam (1000 
remain)

4. Over the next 20-30 million years these mammals 
evolved into prosimian and anthropoid organisms.
 Prosimian - lemurs, pottos, and tarsiers

5. Prosimians are the most primitive of the primates - sometimes they are referred to as "pre-monkeys". There name means "before monkeys".
Prosimians have:
A well developed sense of smell, and a more prominent snout.
Partial binocular vision (using two eyes together, as apes and monkeys do). Often nocturnal vision.
Some claws and developed manual dexterity.
Immobilized upper lips.
A different dental formula - 2:1:3:3
Prosimians only live in the 'Old World'. (area that don't include North and South America): Lemurs live 
only on the island of Madagascar, Tarsiers live on the islands of the Philippines, Borneo, Celebes Islands, 
and Sumatra, and Lorises live in areas of Africa and South/Southeast Asia .

6.  Anthropoid - monkeys, apes, and humans

7. million years later the anthropoid lineage split a 
number of times to give rise to the Old World monkeys 
and New World monkeys and the hominoids.

8. Old World Monkeys: Old World Monkeys make the family Cercopithecinae
Old World Monkeys: Old World Monkeys make the family Cercopithecinae. They are larger than the New World monkeys. They are diurnal, and are physically different as well. Old world monkeys 
have:
Narrow and downward pointing nostrils.
Longer hind legs than forearms.
Flattened nails on fingers and toes.
Prominent buttock pads that they can sit on.
Tails, but not prehensile (adapted for grasping or holding) ones.
They are generally larger than the New World monkeys.

9. New World Monkeys: These monkeys live in the neotropical forests of the "new world".New World Monkeys range vastly in size - some are 
quite tiny, like the 6 inch pygmy marmoset, and some are larger - the 
howler monkey can be up to 3 feet in length. New World Monkeys are 
called platyrrhines. Characteristics of New World Monkeys:
Wide nostrils which are circular and spaced apart.
They are small to medium sized.
Long tails which are sometimes prehensile.
No buttock pads.
No cheek pouches.

10. Also includes the Lesser Apes - Gibbons
Hominoids:
Includes the great apes - orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas, humans and 
bonobos (shown below in order). These great apes are included under the 
family Hominidae.
Also includes the Lesser Apes - Gibbons
Like the great apes, they lack tails, and have the 
same dental formula. Their skulls are also similar to 
those of great apes, having enlarged braincases and 
huge eye orbits that face forward. Siamangs are the 
largest type of gibbon.

11. Monkeys vs Apes Apes are usually larger and heavier than monkeys.
Apes have no tail.
Apes have a more upright body posture than monkeys, and are 
often able to walk on 2 legs.
Apes have a broad chest.
Apes rely on vision rather than smell, and thus have shorter 
noses than some monkeys.
Apes have a large brain to body size ratio compared with other 
animals.
Apes only live in Africa and Asia (monkeys also live in South 
America).

15. Emergence of Humans
The fossil record shows that the HOMINID clade (humans 
and extinct members who arose from the most recent 
common ancestor that humans share with apes.) has a rich 
history of many branching lineages and related species.

18. The oldest known biped 
Ardipithecus ramidus, 5.2-5.8 million years old
Australopithecine footprints date 
to 3.7 million years. Our 
ancestors were walking upright 
before large brains developed.
There were at least 6 different 
species of australopithecines in 
Africa between 4.2 and 10 million 
years ago.

19. 3 million years ago 
australopithecine ancestor 
gives rise to 2 lineages. 
One of which goes on to 
form the genus Homo.

20. Oldest fossils of Homo 
are all found in Africa. 
 million years. 
Generally classified as 
Homo habilis. First human ancestor to use 
stone tools.

21. Homo habilis gave 
rise to Homo erectus 
who is known for their 
use of stone tools and 
fire. H. erectus shows many human features. 
Same average brain size, 
rounded head, and 
smaller teeth.
Approximately 2 million years 
ago H. erectus spread out from Africa to Europe and Asia.

22. Within the last 
600000 years H. 
erectus may have 
evolved into 3 species 
of early humans.
H. heidelbergensis, 
H. neanderthalensis 
and H. sapiens.

23. By 130 000 years ago H. sapiens appeared in Africa when H
By years ago H. sapiens appeared in Africa when H. neanderthalensis was already living in parts 
of Europe and Asia.
H. neanderthalensis were skilled tool makers, they performed burial ceremonies and may have been 
capable of complex speech.

25. The Minds Big Bang PBS Evolution