Hominid Evolution Timeline
Thayer Sundol
4.4-3.8 million years ago
•Ardipithecus ramidus, Ardi
•Not yet a direct link to humans, but research is being done.
•Feet made for bi-pedal walking, not hanging from trees like monkeys.
•Transition between apes and humans.
3.7-3.3 million years ago
• Australopithecus afarensis, Lucy
• Lucy walked on 2 legs• She had a slightly
larger brain than apes and chimpanzees
• Earliest known common ancestor before Ardi.
3.3- 2.9 Million years ago
• Australopithecus africanus
• Larger brain size and more human like facial features.
2.9-1.8 Million years ago
• Homo habilis• Used stone tools• Tools made it
possible to venture further out of the Savannah
• Lost more hair making it look human like
2.3- 1.4 Million years ago
• Homo ergaster
• Co-existed with H. habilis for around 200- 400 thousand years
• Used advanced tools than that of its predecessor H. erectus
2.3- 1.8 Million years ago
• Homo georgicus
• Was intermediate between H. habilis and H. erectus
• Had a brain about half the size of modern humans
1.8- 1 Million years ago
• Homo erectus• Spread out of Africa
into asia• Used the same
tools like that of H. ergaster
• H. ergaster and H. erectus may be the same species
1.2Mya-500 thousand years ago
• Homo antecessor• First European
homonid • Possibly earliest
descendent of humans in Europe
• Slightly smaller brain size than modern humans
600- 400 thousand years ago
• Homo heidelbergensis
• Direct ancestor of H. neaderthalensis and H. sapiens.
• Primitive speech, and buried the dead.
350-30 thousand years ago
• Homo neanderthalensis• Co-existed with H.
sapiens until neanderthals went extinct.
• Different species than H. sapiens
• Left H. sapiens as the last Homo species on the planet.
200thousand years ago to present
• Homo sapiens• Developed alongside
neanderthals• Is exactly like us with
a few differences with the earlier humans.
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