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Human Evolution: an overview. Dr Jeremy Pritchard. Hominoid: Great apes and humans Hominid: Closer to us than gorillas and chimps. You Cuz. Humans did not evolve from Apes You are descended from your mother and father
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Human Evolution: an overview Dr Jeremy Pritchard
Hominoid: Great apes and humans • Hominid: Closer to us than gorillas and chimps
You Cuz • Humans did not evolve from Apes • You are descended from your mother and father • You are related to your aunt and cousin Dad Mum Aunt Uncle
Contemporary animals
Contemporary animals Fossils
Organisms with common features are likely to have a more recent common ancestor.
Brachiation: • Grip • Stereo vision
Humerus Femur
1. Chimpanzee 2. Australopithecus africanus 3. Homo erectus 4. Homo sapiens
Primate Characteristics/Trends • Brains larger than other animals
Brains larger than other animals in relation to body size Log brain weight (g) • Brains larger than other animals Log body weight (g)
Information from the skeleton • sex • age • stature • race/species • pathological conditions • skeletal trauma
Sahelanthropus tchadensis • close to the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees @ 7 million years
Australopithecus afarensis Lucy, discovered in Ethiopia in 1974.
Australopithecus africanus Southern Ape of Africa
Homo neanderthal Homo sapiens Homo erectus Homo habilis Australopithicus africanus ramapithicus
Neanderthals (ca. 100-32 kya) • Restricted to Europe, eastern Middle East during Ice Age • Evolved to be cold-adapted: • Short and stocky • Large nose (for warming air) • Barrel chest (for warming air) • Long, low, thick skull but with large Brain