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Homo

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Homo
Homo ergaster/erectus skull
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Homo
Linnaeus, 1758

Homo is a genus of upright primates that walk on two legs. The only living species is Homo sapiens (humans).

The genus began about 2.3 million years ago. Their ancestors were almost certainly some line of Australopithecine apes. Species of Homo have:

  1. A larger brain (above 900ml)
  2. Improved walking and running ability.

As the process continues, the forehead becomes more vertical, the skull becomes rounder, the teeth are reduced in size, arms are shorter and legs are longer. The skeleton becomes more delicate. particularly in our species.

All species used stone tools, but there is no evidence of when language developed. Human evolution is a much studied topic.[1][2][3]

References

[change | change source]
  1. Alexander, Richard D. 1990. How did humans evolve? Reflections on the uniquely unique species. Special Publication. Ann Arbor, MI: Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
  2. Flinn, Mark V.; Geary, David C.; Ward, Carol V. 2005. Ecological dominance, social competition, and coalitionary arms races: why humans evolved extraordinary intelligence. Evolution and Human Behavior. 26 (1): 10–46. [1]
  3. Hartwig, Walter C., ed. 2002. The Primate fossil record. Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology. 33. ISBN 978-0-521-66315-1