First hominids???

Question

i need an answer. because i have a report tomorrow about the first hominids

Answer 1

Proconsul Africanus.

Answer 2

The origin of the Homo sort has intrigued during long time to the paleoantropólogos and has provoked great number of debates. Some of the different species from known australopitecinos, or even some nonopen pie still, could have given rise to the first species of Homo. The scientists do not know either with exactitude what factors favored the evolution towards a greater and more complex brain - the defining physical characteristic of the modern man. Louis Leakey argued at first that the origin of the Homo directly was related to the advance in the manufacture of utensils - and especially, of stone utensils, since the manufacture of tools requires certain mental abilities and a precise manual manipulation that it only can exist in members of our own sort. In fact, the Homo name habilis directly talks about the ability to make and to use utensils. Nevertheless, at the same time as the old Homo lived several species on australopitecinos, which leaves little clear what species made the first stone utensils. Recent studies of bones of hands of australopitecinos suggest at least one of the robust species, the Australopithecus robustus, could them have realised. In addition, in the decades of 1960 and 1970 the investigators observed for the first time that some nonhuman primates, such as the chimpanzees, make and use tools, which suggests australopitecinos them and the simios that probably also preceded to them could make some type of utensil. Nevertheless, according to some scientists probably the one was the old Homo that made the first stone utensils, since to these homínidos of smaller teeth ability to cut and to crush foods them it would have been of the maximum utility, whereas the robust australopitecinos could even chew very hard foods. In addition, for a long period of time, the primitive humans continued making stone utensils similar to the well-known oldest types, even much after the extinction of the graceful australopitecinos. Some scientists think that it was a climatic drought and cooling period in Africa the one that established the scene for the evolution of the Homo. According to this hypothesis, it does between about 2.8 and 2.4 million years appeared many types of animal adapted to the challenges of drier surroundings, including the first species of Homo. Homínido able to make utensils would have advantages to the power to obtain alternative foods as the vegetation was become littler in more and more barren surroundings. Between new foods roots and tubercles, as well as dead or obtained hunted animal meat could be included. Nevertheless, some scientists are not in agreement with this hypothesis and argue that during the period of evolution of the Homo the climate fluctuated between periods more humid droughts and periods. In this case, the manufacture and the use of stone utensils and the extension of the diet in the old Homo - thus as the increase as large as their brain could have been adaptations to unforseeable and fluctuating surroundings. In any case, a ampler scientific documentation would be required to support or to reject the hypothesis that decidedly the old Homo arose like part from an ample tendency from extinction from species and evolution from others during a period from environmental change

Answer 3

Humans are part of the hominid family. They are both part of and descended from them. The process of this development is called evolution. In brief, this means that new species develop and expand as they are better at dealing with their environment then others. See: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/evo...

for a discussion of the evolution process.

The hominids include humans and the apes. They are part of the family Hominidae, of the order Primate. Humans did not "descend from the apes" We share a common ancestor with them and are considered "cousins." Chimpanzees, our closest relative, share a 99% match in DNA. In protein sequencing, the match is closer, no differences at all.  When man's protein sequencing is compared to gorillas there is only two differences in the match with hemoglobin, red blood cells and amino acids. Lastly the antgen-antibody reaction for humans is 97% from chimpanzees compared to 50% for baboons. In other words we're related. DNA is today used to show how closely people are related (as in determining paternity) and to determine if people were at a crime scene (as a means to determine guilt or innocence). It also is used to determine how long ago species split off from each other.

The split from the apes is put at 8 million years ago. That's based both on the fossil remains and the know rate of change for DNA. The first bipedal hominids (walking on two feet) is 4 million years ago. The first known bipedal hominids were the Australopithecus. ("Southern Ape") There are several known types and the exact lineage is still being argued. The known family tree is:

Australopithecus afarenis "Southern Ape of Afar" This is the species "Lucy" belongs to.  Brain size is about 410cc, they stood between 3 and 4 feet and weighed about 65 pounds. They went extinct about 2.5 million years ago.

Australopithecus africanus "Southern Ape of Africa" Probably evolved from Australopithecus afarenis and lived 3 to 1 million years ago. Brain size was about the same as a gorilla's and they stood between 3 and 4 feet tall. Weight was about 45 to 90 pounds.

Australopithecus robustis "Robust Southern Ape" This species is larger then Australopithecus africanus , 4 feet 11 inches and 5 feet 7 inches, and weighed 110-154 pounds. Brain size is put at 500cc. This group lived 2.5 million to 1.5 million years ago. There is argument that robustis was the male of the afarenis or africanus species.

Australopithecus boisei "Bosie Southern Ape" boisei is named after one Charles Boise and supporter of fossil hunts. The original name was Zinjanthropus "East Africa man" The species lived 2.5 to 1 million years ago. Height was between 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. Weight was between 132 and 176 pounds. Brain size was about 500cc.  boisei is nicknamed "Nutcracker man" due to its large jaw and massive grinding teeth. However, examination has shown that it could chew no harder then us and it's diet seems to have primarily been of leaves.

Homo habilis "Handy man" This is reported to be the first known species of the genus Homo. The brain is larger the Australopithecus, 650-800cc compared to 500cc, the arms shorter, and hip bones that facilitated bipedal walking. Body size was reduced from boisei and robustis, back to between four and five feet. Weight is put at 110 pounds. The species is dated at 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago. Habilis was a throw back in that the head had not changed with the rest of the body. It still retained the brow ridges, jaws and nose of the Australopithecus. In fact, some discoveries were so labeled.

Homo erectus "Upright Man") was the first hominid to leave Africa. His existence dates from 1.6 million years ago to perhaps 200,000 years ago. However, recent discovers have suggested that isolated populations may have existed even later.

Brain size is put at 850cc, height up to 6 feet and weight was comparable to modern humans.

Early discoveries of Homo Eretus remains were variously named Peking Man, Java Man and Heidelberg Man. His range was all of Africa, most of Europe and as far east as China. Sites in California have been suggested as containing Homo erectus finds. No one had satisfactorily explained how the vast distance from China to California was crossed. Recently a small sample the population of China was tested to determine their DNA. The theory tested was that man developed in Africa, spread out and then further developed in China. What was found suggested that waves of hominids came out of Africa, each developed the race further. The idea how having man develop in several regions and not just Africa has supporters as does the "out of Africa" theory.

Homo sapiens neanderthalenis "Man from the Neander Valley" This species is today considered a "dead end," someone that did not give rise to Homo sapiens sapiens. The latest support has come from DNA analysis of his bones. They don't match with Homo sapiens sapiens. In other words, humans did not develop fro the Neandertals. Neandertals are larger in body then modern humans with massive bones. They have short, compact bodies, with large joints and hands. The body shape suggests they were well adapted to cold environments. They are dated between 200,000 to 30,000 years ago. In some sites (the Middle East at Jebel Irhoud, Tabun, and Skhul) the two species (Homo sapiens, and Homo sapiens neanderthalenis) lived near each other. It has been suggested that an archaic Homo sapiens gave rise to the species. They had to date been found only in Europe and the Middle East. It has been suggested that while the species was successful, they may have a a lower birth rate then the early humans. Given only a 2% lower rate per generation would lead to extenuation.

Homo sapiens "Man who thinks" The archaic form is dated between 500,000 and 150,000 years ago. Brain size is about 1200cc. The species shows  links and the characteristic of Homo erectus.

Homo sapiens sapiens Modern man. The first know group appears some 40,000 years ago during the Neolithic period. However, new finds are pushing that date back.

Answer 4

http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/...

hope this helps!!

Answer 5

Unlike "Lucy" (3.3mya), who was classified as Australopithecus, Homo hablis (Handy man/tool maker) was the first clear hominin (circa 2.4mya)...