Hominin Species Summaries

Question 1

Archaic Homo sapiens

Answer 1

Dates: 600,000 years ago-200,000 years ago (although some regional variation)
Region(s): Africa, Europe, and Asia
Famous discoveries: Broken Hill (Zambia), Atapuerca (Spain)
Brain size: 1,200 cc average
Dentition: Slightly smaller teeth in back of mouth, larger front teeth
Cranial features: Emerging forehead, no chin, projecting occipital region
Post cranial features: Robust skeleton
Culture: Varied regionally, but some continue to use Acheulean handaxe, others adopt Mousterian tool culture
Other: Lots of regional variation in this species

Question 2

Homo naledi

Answer 2

Dates: 335,000 years ago-236,000 years ago
Region(s): South Africa
Famous discoveries: Rising Star Cave
Brain size: 500 cc average
Dentition: Reduced tooth size
Cranial features: Sagittal keel, large brow, well-developed frontal region
Post cranial features: Suspensory shoulder
Culture: unknown
Other: N/A

Question 3

Neanderthals

Answer 3

Dates: 150,000 years ago-40,000 years ago
Region(s): Western Europe, Middle East, and Western Asia only
Famous discoveries: Shanidar (Iraq), La Chapelle-aux-Saints (France)
Brain size: 1500 cc average
Dentition: Retromolar gap
Cranial features:Large brow ridge, mid facial prognathism, large infraorbital foramina, occipital bun
Post cranial features: Robust skeleton with short and stocky body, increased musculature, barrel chest
Culture: Mousterian tools often constructed using the Levallois technique
Other: N/A

Question 4

Homo floresiensis

Answer 4

Dates: 100,000–60,000 years ago, perhaps as recently as 17,000 years ago
Region(s): Liang Bua, island of Flores, Indonesia
Famous discoveries: “The Hobbit”
Brain size: 400 cc average
Dentition: unknown
Cranial features: Sagittal keel, arching brow ridges, nuchal torus, no chin
Post cranial features: Very short stature (approximately 3.5 ft.)
Culture: Tools similar to other tools found on the islands of Flores
Other: N/A

Question 5

Denisovans

Answer 5

Dates:100,000–30,000 years ago
Region(s):Siberia
Famous discoveries: Child’s finger bone and adult molar
Brain size: unknown
Dentition: Large molars (from limited evidence)
Cranial features: unknown
Post cranial features: unknown
Culture: unknown
Other: closely related to Neanderthals (genetically)

Question 6

Homo erectus

Answer 6

Dates: 1.8 mya-110,000 ya
Region(s): East and South Africa; West Eurasia; China and Southeast Asia
Famous discoveries: Lake Turkana, Olorgesailie, Kenya; Java, Indonesia; Zhoukoudian, China; Dmanisi,
Republic of Georgia
Brain size: Average 900 cc; range between 650 cc and 1,100 cc
Dentition: Smaller teeth than Homo habilis
Cranial features: Long, low skull with robust features including thick cranial vault bones and large brow
ridge, sagittal keel, and occipital torus
Post cranial features:Larger body size compared to Homo habilis; body proportions (longer legs and shorter arms) similar to Homo sapiens
Culture: Acheulean tools (in Africa); evidence of increased hunting and meat-eating; use of fire;
migration out of Africa
Other: N/A

Question 7

Homo habilis

Answer 7

Dates: 2.5 million years ago to 1.7 million years ago
Region(s): East and South Africa
Famous discoveries: Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania; Koobi Fora, Kenya; Sterkfontein, South Africa
Brain size: 650 cc average (range from 510 cc to 775 cc)
Dentition: Smaller teeth with thinner enamel compared to Australopithecus; parabolic dental
arcade shape
Cranial features: Rounder cranium and less facial prognathism than Australopithecus
Culture: Oldowan Tools
Other: N/A

Question 8

Modern Homo sapiens

Answer 8

Dates: 315,000 years ago to present
Region(s): Starting in Africa, then expanding around the world
Famous discoveries: Cro-Magnon individuals, discovered 1868 in Dordogne, France. Otzi the Ice Man, discovered 1991 in the Alps between
Austria and Italy. Kennewick man, discovered 1996 in Washington state.
Brain size: 1400 cc average
Dentition: Extremely small with short cusps
Cranial features: An extremely globular brain case and gracile features throughout the cranium. The mandibular symphysis forms a chin at the
anterior-most point.
Post cranial features: Gracile skeleton adapted for efficient bipedal locomotion at the expense of the muscular strength of most other large primates.
Culture: Extremely extensive and varied culture with many spoken and written languages. Art is ubiquitous. Technology is broad in complexity and impact on the environment.
Other: The only living hominin. Chimpanzees and bonobos are the closest living relatives.

Question 9

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Answer 9

6-7 mya in Chad
Discovered in 2001

Question 10

Orrorin tugenensis

Answer 10

6 mya
Kenya
Mostly femoral fragments

Question 11

Ardipithecus ramidus

Answer 11

4.4 mya
Forested habitats of Ethiopia

Question 12

Ardipithecus kadabba

Answer 12

5.8-5.2 mya
Forested habitats of Ethiopia

Question 13

Australopithecus anamensis

Answer 13

4.2-3.8 mya
Kenya

Question 14

Australopithecus afarensis

Answer 14

East Africa
3.9-2.9 mya

Question 15

Australopithecus africanus

Answer 15

South Africa
3.5<2.0 mya

Question 16

Robust Australopiths

Answer 16

2.7-1.2 mya
3 species:
Paranthropus robustus
P. boisei
P. aethiopicus

Question 17

Paranthropus aethiopicus

Answer 17

2.7-2.5 mya

Question 18

Paranthropus boisei

Answer 18

2.3-1.2 mya

Question 19

Paranthropus robustus

Answer 19

2.0-1.5 mya

Question 20

Australopithecus sediba

Answer 20

1.97-1.78 mya
* Malapa, South Africa
* 2 individuals
* 12-13 year-old boy
* Older female

Question 21

Defining the genus Homo

Answer 21

Large brain
Large body size
Fully terrestrial bipedal locomotion
Small face and teeth
Increased reliance on culture

Question 22

Oldowan Stone Tools

Answer 22

2.5-1.4 mya
Homo habilis and robust australopiths

Question 23

Acheulean Stone Tools

Answer 23

1.5 mya - 200,000 ya
Homo erectus and later species